Tag: pork

March 2025

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I don’t need to tell you that I adore cookery books. I could happily while away time flicking through my cookbook library, unfortunately there are never enough hours in the day and I always end up feeling rather guilty for having ‘wasted’ time… even if these days I have the excuse of ‘research for Menu Mistress’. Anyway, one advantage for my family is that it’s always easy to choose a present for me! Unsurprisingly I received quite a few new additions to my collection last Christmas, so since the new year, I’ve been enjoying ‘trying and testing’ them.  One of those books is  ‘Agak Agak’ which is a cookbook of everyday recipes from Singapore. It was an inspired gift as this month, for the first time, I’m visiting Singapore and Malaysia. This cookbook by Su Han Lee has been whetting my appetite for the authentic food which I’m looking forward to trying. The cookbook itself has lots of inspiring recipes, I’m gradually making my way through the book but one recipe which I’ve made and particularly liked is ‘Hainanese Pork and New Potato Curry’. So this month I thought I’d share this so that you too can escape with me, at least for an hour or two, to South East Asia!…

This month’s Menu One is the aforementioned recipe, ‘Hainanese Pork and New Potato Curry’. It’s a sweet and mild dish with a depth of moreish fragrant flavours. It’s one of those curries which the whole family will love – they’ll be wanting second helpings so you might want to double the recipe! Menu Two has totally different flavours but is none the worst for it. ‘Peppered Rack of Lamb with Creamed Flagelolet Beans’, is perfect for making the most of the new season’s spring lamb. It’s a recipe which I found in an old cookbook, ‘5th Floor Harvey Nichols’ by Henry Harris. The original recipe was made with a rump of lamb but I prefer a rack, however, feel free to use the cut you like, just adjust the cooking times. The creamed flageolet beans should be noted as a ‘stand-alone-recipe’, as they make a great side for lots of other dishes and are super easy to make!

Menu One

Hainanese Pork and New Potato Curry (Serves 3- 4)

This recipe, from the Singaporean cookbook ‘Agak Agak’, is a sweet and mild dish with a depth of moreish fragrant flavours. It’s one of those curries which the whole family will love – they’ll be wanting second helpings so you might want to double the recipe!

500g pork shoulder, cut into 3cm chunks

1 cinnamon stick

2 star anise

2 lemongrass stalks, bashed lightly

4 tablespoons vegetable oil

200ml coconut milk

About 250ml water

250g baby new potatoes, unpeeled, left whole, larger ones halved

3 tablespoons light soy sauce or to taste (gluten-free if required)

2 teaspoons light brown sugar or to taste

For the spice paste:

100g shallots, roughly chopped

15g piece fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped

4 garlic cloves, peeled

2 teaspoons Kashmiri chilli powder

1 teaspoon white pepper

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

½ teaspoon ground cumin

Big pinch of sea salt

  1. For the spice paste, pound the shallots, ginger and garlic using a pestle and mortar or whizz in a blender until you get a smooth paste. Then mix in the ground spices and salt. Coat the pork chunks with the spice paste and set aside to marinate for 15 minutes.
  2. In a wok or shallow casserole, fry the whole spices and the lemongrass in the oil over a medium heat for about 1 minute, to help release their fragrance.
  3. Add the marinated pork, scraping in all the spice paste, then fry for about 10 minutes until the pork browns.
  4. Next stir in the coconut milk and enough water to just cover the pork. Bring to a gentle boil, then turn the heat down to low and cook, partially covered, for 1 hour and 30 minutes.
  5. Gently tip in the potatoes and season the curry with soy sauce and sugar. Pop the lid back on and cook for another 20 minutes, or until the pork and potatoes are very tender. Taste and adjust seasoning with more soy sauce or sugar if you like. Serve with rice.

Menu Two

Peppered Rack of Lamb & Creamed Flageolet Beans (Serves 4)

This is a recipe which I found in an old cookbook, ‘5th Floor Harvey Nichols’ by Henry Harris. The original recipe was made with a rump of lamb but I prefer a rack, however feel free to use the cut you like, just adjust the cooking times. The creamed flageolet beans should be noted as a ‘stand-alone-recipe’; they make a great side for lots of other dishes and are super easy to make!

2 x 400g cans flageolet beans, drained and rinsed

250ml whipping cream

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 sprig of rosemary, finely chopped

2 racks of lamb (six cutlets each)

1 tablespoon peppercorns, lightly crushed

2 tablespoons olive oil

60g butter

4 tablespoons cognac

250ml strong lamb stock

  1. Combine the beans, cream, garlic and rosemary in a saucepan. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the cream thickens, about 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Keep warm until ready to serve.
  2. Sprinkle the lamb racks with the crushed peppercorns and press in with the palm of your hand, then season lightly with salt (it’s important to do it this way as if you salt first and then pepper afterwards, the pepper is likely to fall off).
  3. Add the olive oil to a frying pan. When it is hot add the racks and fry briskly until they have a golden crust.
  4. Place the racks on a baking tray and roast in a preheated oven (200’c fan) for about 25-30 minutes (if you have a meat thermometer it should register 65-70’c). Rest for 5-10 minutes then slice into cutlets.
  5. Meanwhile, pour off the olive oil from the frying pan. Add the butter, cook for a few minutes until it goes a gentle nut brown. Add the cognac and cook for a further minute or so to drive off the alcohol. Add the stock and bring to the boil and reduce, whisking regularly, until a good syrupy sauce is achieved.
  6. Finally, spoon the beans on to warm plates, arrange the cutlets on top and serve with a little of the sauce.

Menu Mistress will be away for a couple of weeks…

I will be back 25th March with a ‘Tuesday Treat’!..

February 2024

Menu MistressLeave a comment

Just when you think the darkest days of winter are behind you along comes February and more darkness! Fortunately Valentine’s Day offers a little light in the tunnel. Forget it’s significance, in my mind the 14th is my marker that the long winter season is almost at an end – spring officially starts in just over a month! Plus, let’s face it, it can’t be a bad thing to have a day that reminds us to tell each other that we love each other, especially when it often feels like the world is crumbling around us. We’re not necessarily talking romantic love here, but just the love for all of those that we often take for granted. You don’t have to send them a card, instead how about cooking them your favourite dish or one of this month’s Menu Mistress recipes!..

Menu One is ‘Chicken with Beaujolais, Prunes, Shallots & Thyme’. What can make you feel more loved than being cooked this dish?! The fruity wine creates a wonderful sauce around the chicken whilst the addition of prunes, garlic and Dijon elevate the dish to memorable realms. It’s just what the doctor ordered on a cold February evening! Menu Two is ‘Slow-Roast Hoisin Pork Shoulder’, this is a sweet and subtly spicy dish which everyone will love… and will love you for cooking it. Although the pork is cooked for over 5 hours it’s a very hassle-free dish – apart from basting the meat for the last hour of cooking you simply ignore it in the oven. It makes a delicious dinner served with sticky rice and a crunchy radish and cucumber salad. And finally, Menu Three is ‘Seared Beef with Pomegranate & Balsamic Dressing’. Steak is one of those cuts of meats which we associate with special occasions, so serving this dish to your loved ones will definitely make them feel special. It’s incredibly simple to prepare; the juicy slivers of steak are drizzled with a sumptuous sharp yet sweet sauce whilst the sprinkling of brightly coloured pomegranate seeds create a spectacular looking dish!

‘Happy February’! Here’s to feeling loved and the beginning of spring!..

Menu One

Chicken with Beaujolais, Prunes, Shallots & Thyme (Serves 4)

This is such a great recipe, the fruity wine creates a wonderful sauce around the chicken whilst the addition of prunes, garlic and Dijon elevate the dish to memorable realms.

1 chicken jointed into 6/8 pieces or 8 chicken thighs

50g butter

4 large or 12 small shallots, peeled (leave root on to help them hold together)

1 tablespoon tomato purée

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

2 thyme sprigs, plus ½ teaspoon picked thyme leaves

½ bunch flat-leaf parsley, leaves picked and finely chopped, stalks reserved

2 bay leaves

200ml Beaujolais or another young, fruity red wine

16 pitted prunes

200ml chicken stock

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, plus more to serve

Sea salt and black pepper

  1. Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper.
  2. Melt the butter in a casserole pan over a moderate heat. Add the chicken and fry for around 5 minutes until golden brown all over. Add the shallots and continue to cook for 5 minutes until they too have taken on a bit of colour.
  3. Turn down the heat and add the tomato purée, garlic, thyme sprigs, parsley stalks and bay leaves, stir gently.
  4. Then add the wine, stirring well to dislodge any bits of caramelised chicken stuck to the pan. Simmer for a few minutes, then add the prunes and chicken stock. Cook over a low-moderate heat for around 30-40 minutes, until the chicken is tender and cooked through.
  5. Remove the chicken from the pan and leave it to rest on a plate, keeping it warm, while you reduce the liquid in the pan over a high heat for a couple of minutes to thicken it slightly. Add the Dijon and whisk to combine.
  6. Add the chicken back to pan. Check the seasoning, adding more salt and pepper if needed.
  7. Remove from the heat and sprinkle over the chopped parsley and picked thyme leaves. Serve with more mustard on the side.

Menu Two

Slow-Roast Hoisin Pork Shoulder (with Radish & Cucumber Salad) (Serves 4-6)

This is another wonderful recipe from Diana Henry, it’s a sweet and subtly spicy dish which everyone will love. Although the pork is cooked for over 5 hours it’s a very hassle free dish – apart from basting the meat for the last hour of cooking you simply ignore it in the oven. It makes a delicious dinner served with sticky rice and a crunchy radish and cucumber salad (recipe below). *The skin is removed from the pork but rather than discarding it why not make some pork crackling?! – recipe below…

1.9kg shoulder of pork, boned, skin removed/ fat left on (*see note above)

125ml soy sauce (gluten free if required)

125ml runny honey

125ml hoisin sauce (gluten free if required)

125ml dry sherry

2 teaspoons five-spice powder

3cm piece ginger, peeled and grated to a purée

  1. Mix together the ingredients to make a marinade and put this in a large Ziploc bag with the pork. Marinate in the fridge for anything from 24-48 hours.
  2. Bring the pork back to room temperature for an hour before you are going to cook it.
  3. Place the pork in a roasting tin in which it will fit snugly (if there is too much room around it the juices and marinade will run off and burn) and pour the marinade into a bowl.
  4. Cook the pork in a preheated oven, 120’c fan, fro 4½-5 hours or until the meat is soft and melting.
  5. Ladle some of the marinade over the pork and return to the oven. Keep adding more marinade and basting the pork every 10 minutes for another hour, turning the meat over each time you do this. The pork should end up dark and glossy. If the joint starts to get too dark on the outside cover it with foil.
  6. Serve with Radish and Cucumber salad (recipe below) and sticky rice.

Radish and Cucumber Salad (Serves 4)

3 tablespoons rice vinegar

3 teaspoons caster sugar

2cm piece of root ginger, peeled and grated

1 large garlic clove, very finely chopped

1 cold cucumber, peeled in stripes and cut in half along its length

300g radishes (a mixture of colours if possible), cut into quarters or eighths

1 teaspoon sesame oil

1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds (or a mixture of white and black sesame seeds)

  1. Make the dressing by mixing the vinegar, sugar, ginger and garlic together with a pinch of salt.
  2. Scoop out the seeds from the cucumber and cut it into 4cm-thick pieces. Bash these with a rolling pin.
  3. Put the cucumber in a bowl with the dressing and chill for 20 minutes.
  4. Add the radishes and sesame oil, and toss the salad. Scatter the sesame seeds on top.

Best Pork Crackling

Oh yum, pork crackling, who can resist?..

Pork skin, scored

Malt vinegar (or if gluten free use cider vinegar)

Sea salt


1. Set the pork skin on a rack and pour over boiling water. The water will drain away.

2. Dry the skin, rub with vinegar and salt and set aside for 20 minutes.
3. Place the skin in a roasting tin and roast in a preheated oven, 200’c fan, for an hour, until crisp.

Menu Three

Seared Beef with Pomegranate & Balsamic Dressing (Serves 4)

This recipe is incredibly simple to prepare; the juicy slivers of steak are drizzled with a sumptuous, sharp yet sweet sauce whilst the sprinkling of brightly coloured pomegranate seeds create a spectacular looking dish! The recipe is from Sabrina Ghayhour’s wonderful cookbook ‘Persiana’ (I’ve halved the dressing as I felt that the original recipe made too much sauce but feel free to double it up).

4 sirloin steaks

2 tablespoons olive oil

Sea salt and black pepper

1 bag of rocket

100g pomegranate seeds

For the Pomegranate & Balsamic Dressing:

100ml pomegranate molasses

40ml syrupy balsamic vinegar

½ tablespoon olive oil

1 heaped teaspoon Dijon mustard

  1. Mix the sauce ingredients together in a jug, then set aside.
  2. Lightly brush the steaks with olive oil and sprinkle generously with salt and a little black pepper.
  3. Heat a frying pan until very hot. Place the steaks in the pan and cook for about 1½ minutes of each side for rare or a little longer depending on your taste. I also like to turn the steaks on their ‘fat’ edge, for 30 seconds to crisp it up.
  4. Remove the steaks to a plate to rest for 5 minutes. Then thinly slice the steak into slivers and arrange them on a platter. Take a generous handful of rocket leaves and place in the centre of the platter, then drizzle the sauce all over the beef (reserving some for the table). Finally, sprinkle with the pomegranate seeds. Serve immediately.