Pork is a delicious, versatile and healthy meal option that can be prepared and ready in minutes and gives great value for money. Remember to look for the Bord Bia quality mark when buying pork.
Grilled pork chops with salsa rossa
Serves four
Tip: try to get the chops on the bone for extra flavour
Ingredients
Marinade: two tablespoon of olive oil, juice of a lemon, sprig of rosemary, salt and black pepper.
Salsa: four to five cloves of garlic sliced, four tablespoons of olive oil, one can of plum tomatoes, two finely chopped red peppers, two chopped chillies, a handful of chopped basil, salt and black pepper.
Method
Mix the marinade ingredients together and pour it over the four pork chops in a deep dish. Set aside while you make up the salsa rossa. Fry the garlic in the olive oil until just golden, stir in tomatoes and cook gently for ten to 15 minutes. Add the peppers, chilli and chopped basil. Season to taste. Grill or barbecue the chops for five to six minutes on each side and serve with the salsa, some roasted peppers and salad.
Paprika spiced pork belly
Serves six
Ingredients
One pork belly in one piece with the rind on and well scored, one tablespoon of smoked paprika and one teaspoon of salt.
Dressing: four tablespoons of olive oil, two chopped garlic cloves, two teaspoons of smoked paprika, two chopped scallions, one tablespoon of fresh coriander, one chopped red chilli, salt and black pepper.
Method
Set the oven to 180ºC (350Fº ) gas mark 4
Place the pork on a rack over a deep roasting tin, then pour half a kettle of boiling water over the rind, discard the water and dry off the pork with kitchen paper. This will help to give you really crisp crackling.
Mix the smoked paprika and salt together before spreading over the rind and meat. Place the pork back on the rack over the roasting tin and place in the hot oven for about two hours. If you are barbecuing, finish on the hot barbecue for the last half hour.
To make the dressing: heat the olive oil, add the garlic and allow the garlic to just turn golden. Tip the oil and garlic into a food processor. Add the smoked paprika, scallions, coriander, chilli and whiz for a minute, taste for seasoning.
Serve the pork in thick slices with a spoonful of the dressing and potato wedges cooked in the oven with the pork. Season the wedges with sprinkling of smoked paprika and salt.
Pork stir-fry with mushrooms, chilli and mange-tout
Serves four
Ingredients
A leg of pork or three to four loin pork chops, thinly sliced, two tablespoons of oil.
Marinade: two tablespoons of soy sauce, one tablespoon of sesame oil.
Vegetables: two cloves of chopped garlic, one dessertspoon of chopped ginger, 100g of thinly sliced flat mushrooms, one chopped chilli and 100g of mange-tout, cut in half.
Sauce: One tablespoon of oyster sauce, one tablespoon of soy sauce, 125ml stock or water, one tablespoon of rice vinegar and one teaspoon of sugar.
Method
Mix the marinade ingredients together and add the meat. Heat a tablespoon of oil in a large pan or wok. Stir-fry the vegetables for two to three minutes. Tip the vegetables into a bowl. Reheat the wok with another tablespoon of oil. Stir-fry the meat in two batches until fully cooked. Add all the sauce ingredients to the pan/wok, bring to the boil and simmer for two to three minutes. Return all meat and vegetables to the pan/wok, taste for seasoning. Serve with rice or noodles.
Pork vindaloo
Serves six
Ingredients:
A shoulder of pork, well trimmed and cut into cubes, vindaloo paste, two teaspoons of coriander seeds, two teaspoons of cumin seeds, two to three dried red chillies, one teaspoon of black peppercorns, one teaspoon of black mustard seeds, one tablespoon of white wine vinegar, salt and two teaspoon of brown sugar.
Sauce: One tablespoon of oil, two finely chopped large onions, four cloves of chopped garlic, one tablespoon of chopped ginger, two teaspoons of turmeric, two tablespoons of cream, one teaspoon of cardamom seeds, a stick of cinnamon and one tin of chopped tomatoes
Method
Roast the coriander and cumin seeds in a small pan. Transfer to a coffee/spice grinder or mortar and pestle. Add the chillies, peppercorns and mustard seeds and grind for a moment or two. Transfer to a bowl. Add the vinegar, salt and sugar and stir well. Set aside.
In a deep flameproof casserole, heat the oil and fry the onions until really brown. Then add in the garlic, ginger and turmeric. Stir in the cream. Add the cardamom seeds, cinnamon stick and chopped tomatoes. Simmer gently while you brown the meat.
In another pan heat some extra oil and brown the meat well. Transfer the meat as it browns to the sauce. Stir in the vindaloo paste. Cover the casserole and cook for 50 to 60 minutes.
Taste for seasoning. Serve with and a bowl of cucumber raita—grated cucumber mixed with plain yoghurt, seasoned with salt, ground cumin and chopped mint. Also delicious served with the pork are cubed potatoes boiled in turmeric flavoured water, with cauliflower florets added in for the last three to four minutes. When cooked, drain well and toss in hot oil seasoned with cumin seeds, chopped scallions and chopped chilli.
Teriyaki pork with bean sprouts and carrot salad
Serves six
Ingredients
A lean, leg of pork roasting joint
Marinade: three tablespoons of teriyaki sauce and juice of a lemon
Salad: four carrots, grated, one pack of washed bean sprouts, 100g mange-tout, thinly sliced
Dressing: one tablespoon of teriyaki sauce, two tablespoons rice vinegar, two tablespoons oil, one tablespoon soy sauce, one chopped chilli, two to three chopped scallions, one teaspoon of sugar and one tablespoon of chopped coriander.
Method
A day ahead if possible, mix the teriyaki marinade with the lemon juice. Coat the meat in the mixture and leave in the fridge overnight.
To cook, set the oven to 180ºC (350ºF ) gas mark 4. Roast the meat for 50-60 minutes. It could also be finished for last 10-15 minutes on the barbecue.
Mix the salad ingredients together in a large bowl. Combine the dressing ingredients in the food processor, check the seasoning. Mix half the dressing through the salad, set aside. Slice the pork very thinly and serve with the salad, remaining dressing and rice or potatoes.
Spanish pork pies
Makes 12 pies, serves six
Ingredients
Pastry: 350g plain flour, pinch of salt, 175g butter, one egg mixed with four tablespoons of ice-cold water (keep a little for sealing and glazing the pies ) and one tablespoon of sesame seeds.
Filling: two tablespoons of olive oil, 450g minced pork, one large chopped onion, one chopped red pepper, three chopped cloves of garlic, one teaspoon of smoked paprika, one tablespoon of chopped flat-leaf parsley, salt and black pepper.
Method
To make the pastry, mix the flour and salt in a food processor, add in the butter and pulse until only small lumps remain. Add the egg mixture and process for 20 seconds more, and then turn out into a bowl and bring together by hand. Chill the pastry for at least 30 minutes.
To make the filling, heat half the oil and brown the pork quickly, tip the pork into a bowl. In the same pan heat the remaining oil and cook the onion until it caramelises, add the red pepper and garlic and cook for another minute, return the pork to the pan and continue cooking. Add the paprika, parsley and seasoning. Cook for a further ten minutes then set aside to cool.
Set the oven to 180ºC (350ºF ) gas mark 4.
Roll the pastry out thinly with a little extra flour or roll out between two sheets of parchment paper. Cut out rounds, approximately 12, with a large pastry cutter. Take a spoonful of the filling, place slightly off centre, brush the edges with a little of the reserved egg mixture. Wrap the pastry over the filling into a semi circle and pinch the edges together. Brush the tops with remaining egg mixture and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Place on a non-stick baking sheet and cook in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.
For more pork recipes see: www.bordbia.ie
