With the relaxed atmosphere of Eikendal’s Cucina di Giovanni and the friendly approach of chef Ballot, you’re in for a treat at this Winelands gem. Ballot showcases his approach to cooking through creative new recipes and taste combinations, grounded in traditional Italian fare. He showed us how it’s done by creating this pork loin just for MK!

SERVES 4 // COOKING TIME 1 hour

INGREDIENTS
For the pork loin
½ cup freshly ground coffee
3 tbsp cocoa
400 g pork loin, cleaned and trimmed
4 baby marrows
1 large carrot
250 g salted butter
2–3 tbsp honey
1 tsp cinnamon
For the chocolate-cranberry sauce
1 cup cream
½ cup grated white chocolate
50 ml sherry
1 tbsp dried cranberries

METHOD
For the pork loin
1. Preheat oven to 190°C.
2. In a bowl, mix coffee and 1 tbsp cocoa. Cover the pork loin with this rub. Place in the fridge.
3. Remove the tips from both ends of the baby marrows and peel the carrot. Slice as desired.
4. Heat 2 pans over medium heat and add 100 g butter to each.
5. In the first pan, melt the butter then add the remaining cocoa. Fry baby marrows until soft on the outside but still firm on the inside.
6. In the second pan, melt the butter then fry the carrots until soft on the outside but still firm inside. Add honey and cinnamon, and fry for a few minutes further.
7. Heat another pan until very hot, add the remaining butter and cook the pork until medium done, 2–3 minutes per side.
8. Let the pork rest for 5 minutes, then roast for 10 minutes or until cooked through.
For the chocolate-cranberry sauce
1. In a small pot, bring cream to the boil. Add chocolate, sherry and cranberries. Remove from the heat and stir until combined and smooth.
2. Slice the pork loin into 2–3 cm medallions and arrange on a plate with carrots and baby marrows.
3. To serve, pour the sauce over the pork and sprinkle with extra cocoa and grated chocolate.