Serves 4
This is a fantastic recipe that my good friends at Bord Bia regularly demonstrate. It always goes down a treat with the crowd, so I thought it would be a great one to share with you. I've just slightly reduced the size of the meatballs so that they cook a little quicker in the oven.
- 50g (1lb) lean minced pork
- 1 onion, very finely chopped
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 50g (2oz) fresh white breadcrumbs
- 1 red chilli, seeded and finely chopped
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 5cm (2in) piece of root ginger,
- peeled and finely chopped
- 4 tbsp chopped fresh coriander
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp mild curry paste
- 200g (7oz) canned or fresh
- tomatoes, chopped
- 250ml (9fl oz) carton coconut cream
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 25g (1oz) toasted flaked almonds
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- steamed fragrant
- Thai jasmine rice, to serve
reheat the oven to 220°C (425°F/gas mark 7). Place the minced pork in a bowl with the onion, egg, breadcrumbs, chilli, garam masala, half of the ginger and half of the coriander. Season to taste and mix well to combine, then shape into 12 small balls approximately 2.5cm (1in) in diameter. Put the meatballs in a large roasting tin, drizzle over the olive oil and toss gently.
Place in the oven for about 10 minutes, until lightly golden. While the meatballs are cooking, make the sauce. Heat a frying pan over a medium heat and add the curry paste and the remaining ginger. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly, then add the tomatoes and continue to cook for 2–3 minutes.
Add the coconut cream and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Pour the sauce over the meatballs and quickly mix well to combine. Return to the oven for another 10 minutes, until the meatballs are cooked through and the sauce has reduced and thickened slightly. Just before serving, stir in the lemon juice and arrange on plates with the rice. Scatter over the rest of the coriander and the almonds to serve.
Sticky Bacon Chops with Root Vegetable Rösti
Have you ever seen bacon chops in the supermarket and wondered what to do with them? Well here is a recipe that all the family will enjoy. I’m serving them with crispy rösti, which cleverly disguises lots of nutritious root vegetables.
Rösti:
- 1 medium potato, peeled
- 1 medium carrot, peeled
- 1 small parsnip, peeled
- 75g (3oz) piece of turnip, peeled
- 2 tbsp snipped fresh chives
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra if necessary
Sticky bacon chops : - 2 tsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp finely shredded orange rind
- 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
- 4 thick-cut bacon chops
- 4 tbsp fresh orange juice
- 1 tbsp light muscovado sugar
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F/gas mark 6).
To make the rösti, julienne the potato, carrot, parsnip and turnip on a mandolin or in a food processor. Put into a clean tea towel and squeeze out all of the excess water and starch.
Place in a bowl and stir in the chives and parsley. Season to taste and mix well to combine. Heat a large non-stick frying pan over a medium heat. Add the 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the pan and fry 8 heaped tablespoons of the vegetable mixture for 4–5 minutes on each side, until crisp and golden.
Transfer to a non-stick baking sheet and cook for another 3–4 minutes in the oven, until completely cooked through. To prepare the bacon chops, heat another frying pan over a high heat. Add the oil, orange rind and thyme and cook for 2–3 minutes, until crisp. Remove from the pan and set to one side.
Add the bacon chops and season with pepper, then cook for 2–3 minutes on each side, until lightly golden. Transfer to a plate.
Add the orange juice and sugar to the frying pan and cook until reduced. Return the bacon chops and crispy orange rind mixture to the pan and cook the bacon chops for another minute on each side, until heated through. Arrange the bacon chops on warmed plates with the crispy vegetable rösti and spoon over the pan juices to serve.