SWEET AND SOUR KASSLER STEAKS
Serves 4
15ml oil
4-6 kassler steaks
250ml chicken stock
310g tin of mandarins, juice reserved
125ml apple cider vinegar
125ml tomato sauce
60ml sugar
30ml cornflour mixed with 45ml cold water
1 red and green pepper, cut into rings
1 red onion, cut into wedges
2 carrots, julienne
1 pineapple, peeled, cored and cut into chunks
Heat the oil in a frying pan and fry the steaks until golden on both sides.
In a saucepan, combine the stock, juice of the mandarins, vinegar, tomato sauce and sugar.
Bring to the boil and add the cornflour paste.
Allow to simmer for 5 minutes until thick.
Add the peppers, onion, carrots, pineapple and mandarin pieces. Heat for a few minutes, remove from the heat and allow to stand for 5 minutes.
Pour over the kassler steaks and serve with rice.
COCONUT CRANBERRY PORK STIR-FRY
Serves 6
500g pork fillet, cutinto strips
1 egg white
30ml cornflour
60ml oil, for frying
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
2cm piece of ginger, grated
400g tin of coconut milk
1 large red onion cut in wedges
300g butternut, cut in small cubes
200g green beans, sliced in 3cm pieces
125ml chopped dried cranberries
125ml soy sauce
30ml lime juice
In a bowl, combine the pork, egg white and cornflour and mix well.
Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Heat half the oil ina wok and stir-fry the pork, in batches, until golden.
Remove and set aside.
Heat the remaining oil and fry the garlic and ginger until fragrant.
Add the coconut milk, onion and butternut and simmer for 10 minutes until slightly thickened and the butternut is tender.
Add the pork, beans, cranberries, soy sauce and cook for a further 5 minutes. Stir in the lime juice and serve.
ROAST PORK BELLY
Serves 6-8
2kg piece of pork belly
2 sprigs of rosemary, finely chopped
15ml fennel seeds
grated rind of 1 lemon
20ml chopped garlic
30ml olive oil
sea salt for sprinkling
2 large onions, thinly sliced
2 fennel bulbs, thinly sliced
500ml white wine
500ml chicken stock
15ml cornflour mixed with 30ml water
Score the skin of the meat or have the butcher do it.
Pour a jug of boiling water over it. Pat dry.
Combine the rosemary, fennel seeds, lemon rind, garlic and olive oil and mix well. Rub this into the skin of the meat.
Cover and refrigerate for a few hours or overnight.
Place the pork in a roasting tin.
Push the rosemary marinade from the meat into the tin.
Rub the skin of the pork with some sea salt. Place in the oven at 200°C for 30 minutes.
Reduce the temperature to 180°C and roast for another hour.
Remove from the oven and add the sliced onion, fennel, wine and stock to the pan.
Reduce the temperature to 160°C, return the meat to the oven and roast for another 1-2 hours until the skin is crispy and the meat is soft.
Make sure the liquid in the pan does not evaporate; top up with stock when necessary.
Remove the meat. Strain the pan juices and place them in a pot.
Bring to the boiland add the cornflour mixture. Boil until thickened.
Slice the meat and serve with the onions, fennel and gravy.
PORK WITH PLUMS
Serves 6
800g pork neck, cut into 3cm pieces
60ml flour
salt and pepper
oil, for frying
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2cm piece of fresh ginger, finely grated
60ml Chinese cooking wine (shao hsing)
375ml chicken stock
350ml plum jam
2 star anise
30ml soy sauce
4 plums, pitted and cut into quarters
60ml chopped fresh coriander
PLUM JAM
250ml water
125ml sugar
5 plums, pitted, cut in quarters
Dust the pork neck pieces in flour seasoned with salt and pepper.
Heat the oil in a heavy-based saucepan over medium-high heat.
Cook pork, in batches, until browned on all sides. Transfer to a plate.
Add the garlic and ginger to the pan and cook, stirring, for 1 minute until fragrant.
Add the wine and cook for 1 minute until reduced.
Return the pork to the pan with the stock, jam and star anise.
Simmer for 1-2 hours or until sauce is thick and pork is tender. Discard the star anise and stir in the soy sauce, plums and coriander. Serve with rice.
PLUM JAM: Heat water and sugar in a small pot until dissolved. Add the plums and simmer until thickened and plums have disintegrated.
Note: Chinese cooking wine is available from Asian stores. If not available, it can be replaced with dry sherry.
SPICY PORK AND BROCCOLI PASTA
Serves 6-8
300g broccoli florets
30ml olive oil
15ml finely chopped garlic
15ml finely chopped fresh ginger
1 red onion, diced
500g lean pork mince
250ml white wine
125ml black bean sauce
30ml hoisin sauce
3ml dried chilli flakes
salt and pepper
250g orecchiette pasta
Add the broccoli to a pot of boiling, salted water and boil for 1 minute to blanch.
Drain and plunge immediately into ice water. Drain well and set aside.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat and fry the garlic, ginger and onion until softened, about 5 minutes.
Add the pork mince and brown, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon. Add the wine and cook out for 2 minutes.
Add the black bean and hoisin sauces, and chilli flakes, and season to taste. Turn down the heat and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes, until well cooked.
Cook the pasta in salted, boiling water until al dente.
Drain, reserving 125ml liquid.
Add the pasta and broccoli to the pork mince mixture and toss well. If too dry, add the reserved cooking water. Add more salt and pepper if necessary. Serve immediately.
Note: Any short pasta shape can replace the orecchiette pasta.
Angela Day, The Star