COOKING SEASONALLY WITH PORK	FOOD & COOKING ARTICLE

Top pork recipes for the Autumn
from Love Pork

Pork is one of Britain’s favourite meats – yet many of us have no idea how to cook it, or what other foods to put with it bring out the full flavour.

We all know how to stick some bacon or sausages in a pan - some of us may also be a dab hand at creating a pork Sunday roast. However when it comes to cooking with more adventurous cuts like pork belly, shoulder, ribs or creating crackling, many of us are scared we will make a pig’s ear of it.

Pork is a very versatile meat – and an ideal accompaniment to a variety of flavours and ingredients, and can feed a family of four for less than any other red meat. There is also a multitude of ways to cook it.

Pork might not be the first meat that springs mind when it comes to cooking curries for example, but Spicy Pork Pumpkin Curry, which requires only five ingredients, is perfect served with crusty bread and seasonal vegetables as the evenings start to grow longer.

Of course no pork recipe collection would be complete without traditional Sunday roasts and family-favourite chops and the new Love Pork booklet doesn’t disappoint. So after a long day at work, give the Pork Chops Topped with Bramley Apple and Cheddar Cheese a try. Taking just 20 minutes to cook and using just four ingredients this dish couldn’t be easier.

Liz McClarnon will be touring the country from Monday 14th September 2009 to hold exclusive cookery demonstrations in London, Bournemouth, Cambridge, Derby, Chesterfield and Leeds. This is just one of the recipes that Celebrity Masterchef winner Liz McClarnon has devised for her Autumn Pork Collection. Below are details on how to make this and two other succulent pork dishes.

SPICY PORK PUMPKIN RECIPE

Ingredients for Spicy Pork Pumpkin

225g (8oz) Lean pork mince
30ml (2tbsp) Medium curry powder
400g (approx) Can chopped tomatoes
15ml (1tbsp) Mango chutney
1 Small pumpkin or butternut squash

How to make Spicy Pork Pumpkin

• Preheat oven to Gas Mark 4 or 5 / 180ºC / 350ºF.

• In a large non-stick wok or saucepan dry fry the mince until browned.

• Add curry powder and cook for 1-2 minutes.

• Add tomatoes and mango chutney and bring mixture to the boil.

• Take pumpkin, cut off top to create lid, or if using a butternut squash cut in half lengthways and scoop out the seeds and stringy bits using a large spoon.

• Place the pumpkin on a piece of foil and place in a roasting pan.

• Spoon into the pumpkin the spiced mince, replace lid, add a small amount of boiling water to the bottom of the pan and loosely wrap in foil.

• Cook for about 1 hour until pumpkin flesh is soft.

• Serve large scoops from the pumpkin and serve with crusty bread and seasonal greens.

Serves 4

PORK CHOPS TOPPED WITH BRAMLEY APPLE AND CHEDDAR CHEESE RECIPE

Ingredients for Pork Chops topped with Bramley Apple and Cheddar Cheese

2 Lean pork loin chops
1 Bramley apple cut into 4 thick slices (across the core) or an eating apple, cut thickly
50g (2oz) Cheddar cheese, cut into two thick slices

How to make Pork Chops topped with Bramley Apple and Cheddar Cheese

• Place pork chops under a hot pre-heated grill.

• Cook chops for about 20 minutes.

• After 10 minutes turn chops over and add the thick slices of apple to the grill pan.

• When chops are cooked stack the apple on top of the chop, top with slice of cheese and cook for a further 1 to 2 minutes until cheese has melted and is gooey.

• Serve with mashed celeriac and steamed leeks.

Serves 2

PORK BELLY WITH PLUMS AND CINNAMON RECIPE

Ingredients for Pork Belly with Plums and Cinnamon

700g (1½lb) Pork belly joint, rind removed
30ml (2tbsp) Damson jam
5ml (1tsp) Cinnamon
1 Cinnamon stick
125ml (¼pt) Cloudy apple juice
4 Ripe plums, cut in half

How to make Pork Belly with Plums and Cinnamon

• Preheat oven to Gas 4 or 5 / 180ºC / 350ºF.

• Line roasting pan with double layer of foil.

• Place belly joint in pan and rub cinnamon into skin.

• Mix together jam, cinnamon, cinnamon stick and apple juice.

• Pour this mixture into the pan.

• Add plums.

• Scrunch foil loosely around the joint.

• Cover with foil and cook for about 1½ hours, until meat is tender and soft.

• Serve with creamy mashed potato and steamed curly kale.

Serves 4 - 6

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