Entree: Australia – Australian Indigenous & Bush Foods – Quandong Glazed Pork (Roast pork loin brushed with a tangy-sweet glaze made from quandong, a native Australian wild peach, and seasoned with bush spices)

Serving Size: 4

Approximate Time

Prep 20 min

Cook 40 min

Additional 10 min

Total 1 hr 10 min

Ingredients

- 1 boneless pork loin roast, approx. 2.5 lb (1.1 kg)
- 1 tsp (5 g) sea salt
- 1/2 tsp (1 g) freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil
- 8 oz (225 g) fresh or frozen quandong fruit or quandong jam
- 2 tbsp (30 g) brown sugar
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) red wine vinegar
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) chicken stock or water
- 1/2 tsp (1 g) ground wattleseed (or 1 tsp/2 g toasted ground coffee if unavailable)
- 1/4 tsp (1 g) ground lemon myrtle (or finely grated lemon zest)
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) tamari or soy sauce
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) honey
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) butter (optional, for gloss)
- Fresh parsley or native watercress for garnish (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Pat the pork loin dry, rub all over with olive oil, then season evenly with sea salt and black pepper.
2. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the quandong (or quandong jam), brown sugar, red wine vinegar, chicken stock, ground wattleseed, ground lemon myrtle, tamari, and honey. Bring to a gentle simmer.
3. Reduce the heat and cook the glaze until the fruit breaks down and the mixture thickens to a saucy consistency, about 10–12 minutes. If using whole fruit rather than jam, mash or blitz briefly with an immersion blender for a smoother glaze. Stir in butter at the end for extra shine, if using.
4. Heat a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the pork loin on all sides until nicely browned, about 2 minutes per side.
5. Brush the pork generously with 1/3 of the quandong glaze, then transfer the skillet to the preheated oven. Roast until the internal temperature reaches 145°F (63°C), about 25–35 minutes depending on thickness, brushing with additional glaze every 8–10 minutes.
6. Remove the pork from the oven and tent loosely with foil. Let rest for 10 minutes to redistribute juices; reserve any pan juices.
7. Slice the pork into 1/2-inch (1.3 cm) slices, spoon remaining glaze and pan juices over the slices, garnish with parsley or watercress if desired, and serve warm.