My Fave Vege: Pork ;)

Just kidding, dear friend. I just wanted to get your attention. Have I got it? Thanks, stay with me then. It is just an option, not an order. Uou might want to go away but then to return. I am still here.

Talking about vegetables, I am almost a vegetarian. But I admit I love meat, from time to time. And my favourite is pork. But then you knew that from the title. I have days when I just crave a barbecued, hot, succulent, fat pork chop. You understand what I mean. But today I will not talk about barbecue but about a very simple and quick recipe with pork. I love not only the meat in it but the sauce as well. For me it goes in an intimate and elegant setting. I tried it once, in my fave Olympic city, London. I got from “Quick Meals in Minutes”, 2001. I hope it will seem to you as simple as it seems to me.

Pork With Anchovy and Pine Nut Sauce

Preparation time : 10 minutes

Cooking time: 25 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 (800 g) pork chops
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 200 g button mushrooms, sliced thinly
• 1 medium tomato (190 g), seeded, chopped finely
• 45 g can anchovy fillets, drained, chopped finely
• 1/2 cup (125 ml) dry red wine
• 1/2 cup (125 ml) water
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar
• 60 g butter, chopped coarsely
• 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh parsley
• 1/4 cup (90 g) pine nuts

Method:

• Heat oil in medium frying pan. Cook pork until browned lightly and cooked through; remove pork from the pan.
• Add garlic, mushrooms, tomato and anchovies to pan; cook, stirring, until mushrooms are soft.
• Stir in wine, the water, sugar and vinegar; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes.
• Remove pan from the heat, quickly stir in butter, parsley and nuts. Serve sauce over pork; accompany with salad, if  desired.

Bon appetite!

Braised pork in orange sauce

For me, this recipe was a surprise the first time I saw it. I haven’t thought before of proper food with fruits. In my mind, fruits go with desserts, not other dishes. When I tasted this meal, I liked it. And I think you would agree if you are open to try. Plus, you can cook it ahead so if you want to eat it next day, all you have to do is to put the casserole in the preheated oven and this is it. Simple and easy. I have to say that I have found this recipe in Ann Ager’s book “Cooking in a hurry” edited in 1980 and I cooked it some years ago when I was in London. I would like to cook it again, someday. 🙂

Braised pork in orange sauce

Advanced preparation and cooking time: 45 min.

Preparation and cooking time on the day: 40 min.

Ingredients:

• 2 medium onions, peeled and chopped
• 3 tbsp oil
• 500 g (1 1/4 lb) pork fillet, cubed seasoned flour
• 300 ml (1/2 pint) pure orange juice
• 150 ml (1/4 pint) chicken stock (or water if you don’t have stock)
• 225 g (8 oz) carrots, peeled and grated
• pinch of ground cinnamon
• salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 2 oranges, peel and pith removed, cut into segments
• 150 ml (1/4 pint) double cream
• 2 tbsp chopped walnuts

Method:

• Fry the chopped onion in the oil for 3 minutes over low heat. Dust the cubed pork in seasoned flour and add to the onion. Cook over moderate heat until the meat is lightly browned on all sides.
• Gradually stir in the orange juice and chicken stock. Bring to the boil and add carrot, cinnamon, salt and pepper. Cover and simmer gently for 30 minutes.
• Stir in the orange segments, double cream and walnuts and allow to cool.
• Transfer to a casserole, cover and chill in the refrigerator overnight.
• On the day: cook in a covered casserole in a preheated oven at 180°C, 350°F, Gas Mark 4,  for 40 minutes. In case you eat this immediately, skip the  “chill overnight” step. And enjoy the flavours!

Bon appetite!

SSP

I know that you wonder what SSP is. You are paying attention now.;) SSP is sweet & sour pork for short. I remember eating this recipe for the first time in my life in Constanta in a Chinese restaurant and loved it to bits. When I discovered it in the “Original card from “Delicious Meals Made Easy” I was very happy. I had the chance to cook it anytime I wanted. It happened that I made it in London the first time.

Why are Chinese or Thai or Japanese or other Asian recipes so easy to cook? I have no idea but I like it. I would cook with a wok everyday, provided I have the ingredients and resources. I had this chance once, I took it and all I can do now is talk about it and sometime cook.

Sweet & Sour Pork

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp light soy sauce
• 2 tbsp rice wine or sherry
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 2,5 cm (1 in) piece root ginger, peeled and finely grated
• 450 g (1 lb) pork fillet, cut into 2,5 cm (1 in) cubes
• 1 tbsp cornflour (or flour)
• 2 tbsp rice vinegar (or apple vinegar)
• 2 tbsp tomato sauce
• 3 tbsp clear honey
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 red pepper, seeded and diced
• 1 yellow pepper, seeded and diced
• 175 g (6 oz) mange tout, topped and tailed (I think you can replace them with broccoli or other pods, as I haven’t seen here them yet, but they are excellent. Too bad)
• 227 g (8 oz) can of pineapple chunks in natural juice (optional, for a fruity addition)

Method:

• Mix soy sauce, rice wine or sherry, garlic and ginger. Add pork, cover and marinate in the fridge for 2 hours. You can leave them longer, from the evening until the next day, if you like. Just remember that it smells quite strongly, so cover it well.
• Drain pork in a sieve, reserving the marinade. Stir cornflour, rice vinegar, tomato sauce and honey into reserved marinade.
• Heat 1 tbsp oil in a frying pan or wok. Add pork and stir-fry over a high heat for 5 minutes. Remove pork from pan with a slotted spoon.
• Heat remaining oil in pan or wok. Add peppers and mange tout and stir-fry over a high heat for 2 minutes.
• Add marinade mixture to pan or wok and stir until thickened. Add pork and cook for further 1 minute, stirring constantly. Breathe in the smell!
• Serve with the savoury basmati rice or Chinese noodles. Any noodles will do. Delicious!

Bon appetite!