Category Archives: Pork

Pork Steaks with Cheese Crust

Holidays, Main Courses, Pork

  • 4 ready sliced pork escalopes, about 125g/4oz each
  • Ground black pepper
  • 11/2 slices white bread, processed into breadcrumbs
  • 50g/2oz strong, tasty, hard cheese, mature cheddar or Gruyere coarsly grated
  • 25g/1oz butter, melted
  • 75g/3oz soft goat’s cheese, such as Chavroux
  • Slice of lemon to serve

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes

1. Put the escalopes between two sheets of clingfilm and bat out with a rolling pin. Season with plenty of pepper.

2. Mix together the breadcrumbs, grated cheese and melted butter.

3. Grill the pork for 3-4 minutes, fairly close to the heat, until it changes colour and feels firm. Spread the goat’s cheese over the pork, leaving it thick in places. Sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture on top and pop under the grill, slightly further away from the heat, for 3-4 minutes or until cheese is bubbling and breadcrumbs are golden. Serve with a slice of lemon.

Serves 4

Italian Meatballs

Family Favourites, Holidays, Pork, Side Dishes, Starters

  • 1 small aubergine
  • 450g/1lb minced lean pork
  • 1 level tsp fennel seeds, crushed
  • 1/4 level tsp chilli flakes, or to taste
  • 3 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 4 level tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
  • 3 tbsp red wine
  • Oregano leaves to garnish

Preparation time: 15 minutes plus cooling
Cooking time: 50 minutes

1. Pierce a whole unpeeled aubergine in several places and bake at 180C/350F/Gas 4 for 40 minutes or until it’s soft. Allow to cool. Remove the stalk, strip off the skin and chop the flesh.

2. Put the aubergine and remaining ingredients into a large bowl, season with salt and pepper and mix together, using your hands, until thoroughly combined.

3. With wet hands, roll the mixture into balls. Line a grill pan with foil, shiny side up, and oil lightly. Cook the meatballs under a preheated grill for 3-4 minutes on each side. Serve with a tomato sauce and noodles and garnished with oregano.

Serves 4

Grannie’s Stuffing

Chicken, Family Favourites, Pork, Side Dishes

  • 1 cup oatmeal (not porridge oats)
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 4 oz sausage meat (pork)
  • 2 oz bacon, smoked streaky, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons chicken stock
  • Extra bacon needed to cover when cooking if not being cooked in the bird.

Cook (fry off) sausage, onion and bacon in a skillet breaking up the sausage. When cooked, add the oatmeal and stir in the stock. That’s it.
Either put in a bird (best) or heat up in an oven-proof dish with a few strips of bacon on top. Say half an hour at medium oven.

Meatballs in Tomato Sauce with Goats Cheese

Lamb, Main Courses, Pork

  • 25g/1oz fresh or slightly stale breadcrumbs
  • Milk
  • 340g/12oz minced pork or lamb
  • 1 tbsp chopped fresh oregano or marjoram
  • 2 tbsps chopped fresh parsley
  • 2 tsp kecap manis or substitute with dark soy sauce and a pinch of sugar
  • Salt and pepper
  • Olive oil, for frying
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 x 400g/14oz cans of chopped tomatoes
  • 1 tbsp tomato puree
  • 1-2 tsp sugar
  • 8-10 fresh basil leaves, shredded
  • 100g/31/2 oz goat’s cheese, diced

1. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas6. Soak breadcrumbs in milk for 10 minutes; squeeze dry. Mix with the pork, herbs, kecap manis, salt and pepper. Roll into walnut sized balls.

2. Heat enough oil to cover the base of a heavy frying pan. Fry the balls over a medium heat until cooked. Drain on kitchen paper.

3. To make the tomato sauce, gently fry the onion and garlic in olive oil. Add all remaining ingredients, except the basil and cheese, and cook until reduced to a very thick sauce. Stir in basil.

4. Place meatballs in a shallow serving dish, spoon over the sauce and scatter with goat’s cheese. Bake for 30 minutes until sizzling. Serve with hot bread and salad.

Cheese Crusted Gammon Steak

Main Courses, Pork

  • For two
  • two small gammon steaks or bacon chops
  • 2 med slices white bread processed into crumbs
  • 2oz cheddar coarsley grated
  • 1oz butter melted
  • 2 oz soft goats cheese such as Chavroux

Snip the rind of the steaks or chops to prevent curlins
Mix breadcrumbs, grated cheese and butter with some ground black pepper.
Grill the gammon for two or three minutes then spread with the goats cheese and top with the cheddar crumb mix. Continue to grill a bit further from the heat for 3-4 more minutes until the cheese is bubbling and golden.
NB It is important to use a solid tray to grill not a rack in order to cook the underside of the gammon