Ingredients:

(serves 4-6)

1.5 kg pork loin roast or rib roast

1 teaspoon ground ginger

½ teaspoon dried mustard

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 (454g) can whole berry cranberry sauce

or: 1 cup fresh cranberries, 1/2 cup white sugar, 1/2 cup brown (I did add 1/4 cup brown sugar half-way through cooking after tasting the sauce, but 1/2 cup would be better. I learned from making my own cranberry sauce that you really do need a lot of sugar to balance out the cranberries.

⅓ cup golden raisins

1 clove garlic, chopped

⅓ cup cranberry juice

½ small lemon, thinly sliced

Method:

Use a 4 quart crockpot. In a plastic zipper bag, put dry spices and cornstarch and add meat. Shake to coat. Put contents into your slow cooker. Add cranberry sauce, or your fresh cranberries and sugar. Put in raisins and garlic. Pour in cranberry juice, and top with lemon slices. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, or high for about 4. The longer you cook the meat, the more tender it will be.

Ingredients:

1 Kg Pork non-fat meat

2 Big Onions

Salt as per taste

3 peppercorns

3 cm piece of Cinnamon

few cloves

Vindaloo masala:

1 red Chillie, deseeded and chopped (or 1/2 tsp chilli powder)

1 tsp sweet red paprika

4 Garlic cloves crushed,

1 tbs grated ginger

2 tsp cumin powder,

1 tsp coriander powder,

2 tbs Vinegar

Method:

Wash the Pork pieces well, and then chop them up into 3 cm cubes. Dry well. Add salt and set aside.

Get the masala ready, grind the chillies into a powder, then add vinegar and all the ingredients of the vindaloo masala (spices), then grind all of it in the blender.

Add masala to the pork pieces and mix it up well. Make sure all the pieces of meat are evenly mixed with the masala. Store it overnight in the fridge.

Just before cooking, chop and blend onions, then add them to meat.

Heat the pan with some oil and fry meat on medium heat for 5 mins. Add a few peppercorns, a cinnamon and a cloves to the dish.

After a little while of frying add some water and simmer on a low heat as the meat soaks in the masala and gets cooked (1-2hrs).

The Vindaloo is ready when it turns the fiery red colour.

Note: The Vindaloo always tastes better the next day as the meat gets properly marinated, its not really a very spicy dish but on the tangy side. The longer you store it the better it tastes, just like a pickle!

Photo copyright © Michael Jensen

Ingredients:

(Makes 8 servings)

1 pork loin center rib roast (2 kg), backbone loosened

1⁄8 teaspoon each salt and black pepper

For the stuffing:

1 cup pitted prunes

2⁄3 cup water

3 tablespoons butter or margarine

1 small yellow onion, chopped

2 tablespoons firmly packed light brown sugar

1 teaspoon grated lemon rind

1⁄2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1⁄4 teaspoon ground cardamom

6 cups dried bread cubes

1 large tart apple, chopped

1⁄2 cup apple juice

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Place the roast rib side down. Cut pockets in the roast, cutting from the meaty side (tip, opposite). Sprinkle the roast with the salt and pepper.

2. To prepare the stuffing, in a small saucepan, combine the prunes and the water. Bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes or until prunes are tender. Drain. Coarsely chop prunes; set aside.

3. In the same saucepan, melt the butter over moderate heat. Add the onion and cook for 3 minutes or until tender. Remove from heat. Stir in the brown sugar, lemon rind, cinnamon, and cardamom.

4. Place the bread cubes in a large bowl. Stir in the onion mixture, prunes, and apple. Drizzle with the apple juice, tossing lightly until moistened. Spoon about 3 tablespoons of the stuffing into each pocket of roast (tip, below). Spoon the remaining stuffing into a 11⁄2-quart casserole; cover and refrigerate.

* Stuffing a Roast:

I. Using a sharp knife, cut deep slits between the rib bones of the roast. Cut through the thickest portion of the meat about halfway to the backbone and within 1⁄2 inch of the edges to make each pocket.

II. Holding a pocket open with one hand, use a small spoon to place stuffing in the slit. Lightly pack the stuffing down and keep adding stuffing until you’ve used about 3 tablespoons.

5. Place the roast, rib side down, in a roasting pan. Roast for 13⁄4 to 21⁄4 hours or until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center of roast (not stuffing) registers 70°c. (Cover the roast loosely with foil after 1 hour so the stuffing doesn’t overbrown.) Bake the covered casserole of stuffing alongside the roast during the last 30 to 40 minutes of roasting.

6. Let the roast stand for 15 minutes before carving. Serve the stuffing in the casserole with the roast.

Note: This apple-and-prune-stuffed roast is traditionally served at Christmas in Danish-American families. However, it makes a wonderful company dish any time of year.

Ingredients:

(serves 4)

4 large center loin pork chops

1 clove minced garlic

Salt and pepper to season

2 cups fresh pitted cherries, quartered

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

salt and pepper to season

1 clove minced garlic

1 tsp chopped fresh thyme

Method:

Season the chops with crushed garlic, salt and pepper. Grill the chops until fully cooked then top with the balsamic cherries.

Simmer the balsamic vinegar over medium heat until it is reduced to a syrupy consistency. Set aside to cool or immerse bottom of the pan in cold water to cool down the reduction. Toss in the other ingredients and allow to stand for about an hour or more before serving.

Note: With the summer grilling season in full swing and southern hemisphere summery Xmas, this is simple, but elegant recipe for a sweet and savoury addition to grilled pork loin chops, especially since fresh cherries are now in season.

This dish is very nice served with a peppery red wine.

Ingredients:

- 500 g white or brown beans soaked overnight

- 300-500 g smoked dry pork meat (neck, ribs, hogs or similar, with some fat on it)

- 1 slice smoked bacon

- 2 smaller or 1 big onion chopped

- 2 cloves of garlic roughly chopped

- 1 bay leave

- 1 tsp dry oregano

- 1 tsp dry basil

- 1tsp dry thyme

- 1 carrot sliced

- ½ celery stalk sliced

- 1 small parsnip root sliced

- 1-2 tbs finely chopped Italian parsley

- salt

- 5 black peppercorns

- olive oil

- 1 tbs flour

- 1tsp ground paprika

Method:

* Put soaked beans into cold water, bring it to the boil, cook shortly and then discard water and rinse the beans.

* Put beans into fesh water and add onion, garlic, smoked meat, carrots, celery, parsnip, bay leaves, herbs and peppercorns.

* Bring it to the boil, add salt, parsley and some olive oil.

* Cook until beans are completely cooked, but still firm (aprox. 1-11/2 h).

* Fry in the pan flour on the oil to become golden, add ground paprika, then some water from the beans and stir into smooth cream, then add to the beans. Cook for additional few minutes until sauce thickens. Check for salt and season to taste if needed.

Ingredients:

(serves 8 )

* 1/4 cup fresh oregano leaves

* 1/4 cup fresh sage leaves

* 1/4 cup fresh orange juice

* 1/4 cup honey

* 1 tablespoon coarsely ground black pepper

* 2 tablespoons grated lemon rind

* 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil

* 1/4 teaspoon salt

* 6 garlic cloves, peeled

* 2 pork tenderloins, trimmed

* 1/4 teaspoon salt

* Cooking spray

Method:

Combine first 9 ingredients in a blender or food processor; process until almost smooth. Pour mixture into a large heavy-duty zip-top plastic bag. Add pork to bag; seal. Marinate in refrigerator 2 hours, turning bag occasionally.

Prepare grill.

Remove pork from marinade. Discard marinade. Sprinkle pork with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Place pork on grill rack coated with cooking spray; cover and grill 25 minutes or until a thermometer registers 160° (slightly pink), turning pork after 15 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes before slicing.

Ingredients:

( serves 6-8 )

* 1 kg pork tenderloin

* 1 cup dry white wine

* 1 cup chicken broth

* 2 tablespoons coarse-grained mustard

* 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme

* 1 teaspoon minced garlic

* 1 teaspoon pepper, divided

* 1 1/2 teaspoons salt

* 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

* Vegetable cooking spray

Method:

1. Remove silver skin from tenderloin, leaving a thin layer of fat covering the tenderloin.

2. Combine wine and next 4 ingredients in a zip-top plastic freezer bag; add pork and 1/2 tsp. pepper. Seal and chill 24 hours, turning occasionally.

3. Remove pork tenderloin from marinade, discarding marinade. Pat dry, and sprinkle evenly with salt and remaining 1/2 tsp. pepper. Dredge in flour. Place pork on a lightly greased rack in a broiler pan; coat pork evenly with cooking spray.

4. Broil 5 1/2 inches from heat 27 to 30 minutes or until pork is browned and a meat thermometer inserted in thickest portion registers 150°, turning pork occasionally. Let stand 10 minutes.

Note: Pork tenderloin may be frozen raw in marinade up to 1 month. Thaw in refrigerator 2 days or until completely thawed. Proceed as directed.

Ingredients:

(serves 4)

* 4 x 150-200g steak (beef or pork)

* 1 teaspoon olive oil

* Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

* 1 tablespoon butter

* 350g button mushrooms, sliced

* 1 clove garlic, crushed

* ¼ cup white wine

* ½ cup (125mL) chicken stock

* ½ cup (125mL) cream

* 1 tablespoon cornflour

Method:

Place steaks in a plastic bag with oil, salt and pepper. Vent your aggression by bashing the steak to tenderise. Store in fridge until ready to cook; remove 10 minutes before cooking.

Heat a large non-stick frypan or BBQ to high heat. Cook steak for 2-3 minutes each side for medium, or to taste, turning once only. Remove to a plate, cover with aluminium foil and keep warm.

Reduce heat to medium, melt butter in pan juices and add the mushrooms. Cook for 5 minutes or until golden and tender. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.

Add wine (if using), stock and cream. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring, until sauce thickens slightly. I prefer a thicker sauce, so thicken with 1 tablespoon of cornflour dissolved in 1 tablespoon cold water.

Serve steak smothered in mushroom sauce with potato wedges and a green vegetable or salad.

Ingredients:

50 g hazelnuts, toasted, skins removed*

4 Tbsp cold butter

1 Tbsp fresh chives, chopped

500 g Pork Tenderloin, cut into 2cm slices

Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

6 Tbsp Calvados (apple brandy from Normandy)

Method:

*To remove skins from hazelnuts: Preheat oven to 160ºC. Spread hazelnuts in a single layer on a baking sheet. Place in oven and bake 12 to 15 minutes. The nuts should be fragrant and the skins blistered. Transfer nuts to a terry towel, fold over one end to cover the nuts, and rub the nuts together to remove the skins.

Put the hazelnuts into a food processor and pulse to finely chop. Add 3 tablespoons of butter and chives to the processor and pulse to combine. It should be blended but not pasty. Shape hazelnut butter into a log and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate.

Melt remaining tablespoon of butter in a large sauté pan. Season pork with salt and pepper. When butter is foamy, add the pork slices and cook about 2 to 3 minutes per side, until lightly browned. Remove and keep warm. Pour the Calvados into the pan and allow to boil briefly, scraping up the brown bits from the bottom. Remove the hazelnut butter from the refrigerator and cut into as many slices as you have pieces of pork.

To serve: Arrange pork on a warm serving platter. Pour Calvados over pork and top each piece with hazelnut butter.

Ingredients:

4 loin pork chops, ask the butcher to flatten out the chops for you

Marinade:

2 tablesp. olive oil

Juice of a lemon

Sprig of rosemary

Salt and black pepper

Salsa Rossa:

4-5 cloves garlic, sliced

4 tablesp. olive oil

1 can plum tomatoes

2 red peppers, seeded, cut in quarters, grilled, skin removed, and finely chopped

Handful of chopped basil

Salt and black pepper

Method:

Mix the marinade ingredients together and pour it over the pork chops in a deep dish. Set aside while you

make up the salsa rossa. Fry the garlic in the olive oil until just golden, stir in tomatoes and cook gently for 10-15 mins.

Add the peppers and chopped basil. Season to taste.

Grill or barbecue the chops for 5-6 mins on each side and serve with the Salsa Rossa, some roasted peppers and salad.

Note: Make double the Salsa Rossa, it will keep well in the freezer for the next time.