Braised Pork with prunes and apple.

Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 60 minutes
(For two hungry people)

Ingredients

• 6 Slices of Pork Loin
• 2 Shallots
• 1 Sprig of thyme (or Lebanese oregano)
• 1 Clove of garlic
• 30gms Butter
• 300ml Chicken stock
• 2 cups white wine
• 1 Carrot
• 2 Celery sticks
• 8 Prunes
• 2 Apples

METHOD

Heat up olive oil to a pan, caramelise the pork  on each side, add some butter to enhance flavour and add further colour.

Turn over and repeat process.

Remove from pan and place into oven dish away from heat.

 Chop the Echallotes finely.

Add echalotes to pan, cook until tender and deglaze with white wine.

Chop celery and carrots finely.

Make sure it's nice and fine and add to mixture with the thyme.

Add chicken stock, and leave to reduce over high heat.

Add bay leaf.

Some salt.

and pepper to season.

add prunes to pork dish.

Add all the reduction to the pork dish. There should be enough liquid to almost cover pork.

Cover with lid.

Cook in oven at 160C  for approx 60-70 minutes.
Half the liquid should remain once cooked.  Do not dry out.

Peel, core and slice apples into wedges.
Saute in butter until caramelised both sides.

Serve with prunes and apples and coat with reduced jus from oven pot.
Garnish with a little thyme and chive.

Herb Crust Rack of Lamb

Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
(For two people)

Ingredients

• 1 rack of lamb
• 1 bunch of asparagus
• 2 x potatoes
• 1 Clove of garlic
• half cup of breadcrumbs
• 1 small bunch of parsley
• 4 sprigs of thyme
• 2 sprigs of rosemary
• 100gm of butter
• 1 lemon
• Dijon mustard
• 40 gm Parmesan Cheese

METHOD

Firstly, steam your potatoes in steamer.

In a blender, add half cup of dry bread crumbs.

Add some thyme.

Add the Parsley.

Add one garlic clove, chopped or crushed.

Add the Rosemary leaves.  Remove from stalk if fresh.

Add lemon zest, about half lemon. (the skin only)

Add the Parmesan cheese, grated.

A generous amount of black crushed pepper.

Blitz in blender and pour onto flat plate.  It should look like a green dry powder.

Remove potatoes from steamer, peel off the skin, then crush in a clean tray.

Add the butter in pieces, season with salt & pepper and place in hot oven at 220C.

Slice the rack,  leaving two cutlet bones per serve.

Add some olive oil to a pan, once hot add the cutlets and caramelise.
Remember that brown equals flavour.

Once caramelised,  remove from hot pan and leave aside to cool for two minutes.
Keep pan aside.

With a pastry brush, coat all sides of each cutlet with Dijon mustard.

Dip coated cutlet in herb mixture.  Press hard and make sure it's coated evenly on all sides.

Put back to original pan upright and place in very hot oven until brown.

Place asparagus in steamer.

Remove Potato crush and place in centre of plate.

Plate up with cutlet bones interconnected upwards,  add asparagus and garnish with fresh rosemary.

Lamb should still be pink inside.  You can also slice them in two lengthwise to show the pink meat giving you four pieces. 

The herb crust enhances the flavour and also keeps the lamb very moist.

For a dinner party the lamb can be prepared in advance and refrigerated. Make sure they are separate and not touching once in fridge.  Preheat oven on full before serving and roast in oven for approx. 10 minutes.

Salsa Verde

Preparation time: 10 minutes.

This is the sauce that everyone should know how to make, it's so easy and it enhances the flavour of grilled meats, great on poached or steamed  fish and seafood. Also on chicken.

SEE VIDEO INSTRUCTIONS BELOW

Ingredients

• 50 g Capers.
• 3 to 6 small Cornichons (unsweetened gherkins).
• 1 Heaped teaspoon of Dijon Mustard.
• 1 Cloves of crushed Garlic.
• 3 Tablespoon of Red Wine Vinegar.
• 4 Tablespoon of Olive Oil.
• 1 Hand full of washed fresh parsley.
• 1 Handfull of washed fresh mint.
• 1 small tin of Anchovies.
• Cracked black Pepper

METHOD

Pick you Fresh Mint and Parsley.  About one handful size bunch.

Remove Mint stalks and add leaves only to a food processor.

Remove Parsley stalks and add leaves only to a food processor.

Add the top layer of Anchovies

Add Capers.

Add Cornichons.

Add one heaped teaspoon of French Dijon Mustard.

Add one clove of grated or crushed Garlic.

Blitz in Food Processor

Whilst mixing, add Olive Oil, approximately four tablespoons.

Add red wine vinegar.

Final mix should look like a thick enough to hold itself.  Do not add salt as the Anchovies are very salty.

Add some cracked black Pepper.

Pour in a bowl, cover and refrigerate for use.

This is a fairly basic recipe, but you can add other herbs such as Basil, Chives,
Coriander in fact any green herb that you may enjoy as long as it's fresh.

Watch video instructions below.

Please leave comments.

Thank you! 

Joel Mielle