Roast Pork Loin

A bargain pork loin joint with crackling just before New Year's day meant that there was plenty of pork around in the early days of 2017.

I don't eat the crackling (essentially the fatty rind), because its chemistry doesn't agree with my metabolism, but I cooked the joint for just over two hours with the crackling still on it. Cooked in a large casserole dish at between 200 and 220 deg C (30 minutes per 500g, plus another 30 minutes).

The joint was allowed to rest overnight before carving with an electric knife (though an hour or two should be enough).

A gravy was made with some of the pork fat and juices from the joint, with ten to a dozen spring onions, one large carrot, half a bramley apple, chopped, pork stock, vegetable stock, parsley, oregano, rosemary, thyme, two pinches of paprika, and a pinch of smoked paprika. Plus a couple of dashes of Nam Pla fish sauce and a squirt of tomato puree. The gravy was simmered for an hour and then mashed. Cooked for another twenty minutes to half an hour, and then blended with an electric hand blender.

The other ingredients of the dish were white potatoes, carrots, and brussels sprouts, cooked for twenty, twenty, and nine minutes respectively. The slices of pork were reheated in a saute pan and simmered in the gravy for ten to fifteen minutes, until tender. Serve with freshly ground black pepper.

Pear and Apple Fruit Salad

Made with one Williams pear and one Bramley apple, some Creme de Menthe, and some single cream. 

The pear was cut into lengthwise slices, and the apple was cut into eight segments, using a useful tool designed to make this easy.  These segments were then each cut into four or five parts. Mix the fruit together. Add the cream to a serving bowl, and add the fruit. Drizzle two dessert spoonfuls of Creme de Menthe. Ready to serve! 

Pear and Apple Fruit Salad

Ground Beef, Parsnips, and Brocolli Spears

Made with Aberdeen Angus ground beef, peeled tomatoes and tomato passata, blended Bramley apple, chopped onion and green beans, with basil and oregano. Plus beef and vegetable stock. 

The beef (12% fat) was browned before the chopped onion was added. The peeled tomatoes, the blended apple, and the green beans were prepared first, in a steamer. The vegetables and the passata, and the herbs, were added after the onions were mostly cooked. Water and the beef and vegetable stock were added. Simmer under glass for ninety minutes.

The parsnips were boiled in the bottom of a steamer, for twenty minutes. The brocolli spears were added to the top tier of the steamer for the final ten minutes, and removed when ready. 

Ground Beef, Parsnips, and Brocolli Spears

Cottage Pie

Made with Aberdeen Angus ground beef, peeled tomatoes and tomato passata, blended Bramley apple, chopped onion and green beans, with basil and oregano. Plus beef and vegetable stock. 

The beef (12% fat) was browned before the chopped onion was added. The peeled tomatoes, the blended apple, and the green beans were prepared first, in a steamer. The vegetables and the passata, and the herbs, were added after the onions were mostly cooked. Water and the beef and vegetable stock were added. Simmer under glass for ninety minutes. Allow to cool. 

Boil five medium to large potatoes for twenty five minutes. Allow to cool. Then mash in a glass bowl with a large knob of butter and a couple of dashes of white pepper. Add the ground beef to the pie dish, and then spoon the potato on top. Texture the surface with a fork. Cook in an oven preheated to 150 deg C for an hour. Don't cook at a higher temperature, or the gravy will bubble vigourously, and break through the potato layer, causing it to sink. 150 deg C is fine. You can cook for longer if you want a crispier potato topping. Served with green beans. 

 Cottage Pie

Spaghetti Bolognese

Spaghetti Bolognese, made with Aberdeen Angus ground beef, peeled tomatoes and tomato passata, blended Bramley apple, chopped onion and green beans, with basil and oregano. Plus beef and vegetable stock. 

The beef (12% fat) was browned before the chopped onion was added. The peeled tomatoes, the blended apple, and the green beans were prepared first, in a steamer. The vegetables and the passata, and the herbs, were added after the onions were mostly cooked. Water and the beef and vegetable stock were added. Simmer under glass for ninety minutes. 

Served with wheat-free spaghetti and black pepper. Can also be served with parmesan or parmigiano reggiano cheese.  

Spaghetti Bolognese