“This is a fresh and fragrant dish to welcome in the brighter days, a taste of sunshine on a plate! It’s a new addition to our seasonal menu, using the best locally sourced pork from a neighbouring farm and served with pilau rice. Enjoy with a crisp dry white wine or a light Pilsner beer.”
Ingredients (Serves six)
For the sweet and sour peppers
3 peppers deseeded and cut in ½
(assorted colours)
500ml white wine vinegar
4tbsp brown sugar
2tbsp tomato ketchup
1tsp soy sauce
1tsp shredded ginger
1 star anise
½ red chilli deseeded
For the sticky pork
6 large pork chops
100ml honey
50ml soy sauce
Pinch of ginger
1 clove of garlic
½ red chilli deseeded
100g brown sugar
Seasoning to taste
Method
Place the peppers in an oven proof dish, drizzle with olive oil and place in a pre-heated oven at gas mark 6/200°C until the skins darken. Remove from oven and cover with cling film as this will allow the peppers to sweat, loosening the skins which should be removed before adding them to the sauce.
Put the remaining ingredients, bar the ketchup in a pan. Let the sauce simmer until reduced by half and stir in the ketchup. Pass the sauce through a sieve and add the peppers.
Cook your pilau rice
Combine the ingredients, bar the pork, in a pan, heat gently; turn off the heat and leave to infuse for at least ten minutes. Pass through a sieve and reserve.
Place a large griddle or frying pan on the heat. Lightly oil the pork chops on both sides and place in the pan. Cook on a high heat for 1 minute on each side. Transfer the pork to an oven proof dish and drizzle over the sticky glaze. Place into a pre-heated oven at gas mark 5/180°C for approximately 5 to 10 minutes depending on the size of the chop. When cooked, the pork should have a lovely caramel colour.
To Serve
Place pilau rice on to the plate, add the sticky pork and arrange the sweet and sour peppers across the dish. Add more sticky glaze to the pork as required.
This month’s menu is courtesy of Phil Long, Chef/Patron of the Acton Arms.
