Pork Tenderloin with Mustard Sauce

This is the dish I cooked for previous MasterChef contestants and arguably the one that won me a spot in the quarter finals. Since the show went out I’ve been inundated with requests for the recipe so I’ve written it up below.  If anyone would like a printable step by step guide which includes timings and lots of detail just get in touch via the site and I will whizz one over to you! I’m a very methodical person (except when I’m in the MasterChef kitchen apparently) so I made myself detailed guides to help me stay on track with timings. If you’re making this at home, it’s probably not necessary unless your co-eaters intend to time you to exactly 60 minutes!

Ingredients:

Pork:

• 350g pork tenderloin  (outdoor reared is best if you can)
• 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoons wholegrain mustard
• 250ml crème fraiche
• 50ml whiskey
• Salt
• Olive oil for frying
• Black pepper
• Tablespoon dried sage
• Tablespoon dried parsley
• 25g parmesan

Vegetables:

• Chanteney carrots (allow a few per person)
• Teaspoon of sugar
• 60g butter
• 3 baby leeks
• 3 baby parsnips
• 1 tablespoon celery seeds

Apple sauce:

• 1 granny smith apple
• Juice of half a lemon
• 1 teaspoon honey

Method:

• Pre-heat the oven to 200 degrees.
• Scrape the skin off the carrots using a sharp knife and wash the parsnips.
• Half the parsnips lengthways and toss in oil, salt, black pepper and celery seeds. Tip on to a roasting tray and put them in the oven, they’ll take about 30 minutes.
• Combine 2 tablespoons of Dijon mustard, herbs and parmesan in a small bowl and mix well. Use a pastry brush to coat the meat all over then set aside.
• Peel and chop the apple in to 2cm chunks then heat in a small pan with the juice of half a lemon. Once the mixture is soft and the apples are cooked, pass through a fine sieve and set aside.
• Heat 4 tablespoons of oil in a large frying pan and fry the pork on all sides until well browned, then transfer to a roasting tin and cook for 12-15 minutes. Don’t wash the pan; you’ll need it for your sauce!
• Once the cooking time has finished, transfer the meat to a board and cover loosely with foil to rest. A general rule is to rest the meat for the same length of time you’ve cooked it for.
• Place the carrots in medium saucepan then add enough water to just cover them. Add a big pinch of salt, a big pinch of sugar and 30g of butter. Turn the heat up and cook for around 15 minutes until the carrots are cooked through.
• Slice the leeks lengthways and give them a really good rinse under cold water. Slice them up and add a big knob of butter to a frying pan, leave the heat low and sauté until soft.
• Take the pan you cooked your pork in and put on a high heat. When hot, add the whiskey and a knob of butter.
• Once you can see the liquid has reduced slightly add the rest of the Dijon and the wholegrain mustard to the pan and give it a stir.
• Add the crème fraiche, turn down the heat and allow to bubble. Taste and season if necessary (add more mustard if you like).
• Slice the pork thickly and arrange on the plate with the vegetables.
• Give each plate a couple of teaspoons of apple sauce then pour plenty of mustard sauce over the whole dish.

Garlic Spatchcock Chicken with Creamy Orzo and Rocket

This is a really easy tea with notably very little washing up! We have served this as a crowd pleaser for friends in the past but tonight I’ve made it for two. You can add your own twist with different vegetable sides or by using a regular soft cheese if you prefer.

Ingredients

• 1 medium chicken (around 1.4kg)
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 5 tablespoons light olive oil
• 250g orzo pasta
• 150ml half fat crème fraiche
• 100g soft goat’s cheese
• 2 lemons
• 70g fresh rocket
• Small bunch of parsley
• Salt and fresh black pepper

Method

• Pre-heat the oven to gas mark 6, 200 degrees.
• Flip the chicken so the breast is facing down then use a strong pair of scissors to cut down the back bone. Once you’ve cut all the way down turn the chicken over and use your hands to push down until you hear a crack and you feel the bird flatten out.
• Place the chicken in a large roasting tin.
• Bash or blend the garlic with the oil until completely smooth (any pieces of garlic will burn in the oven) then pour over the chicken and rub in all over.
• Season the chicken on both sides with plenty of salt and pepper then roast for 1 hour basting 2 or 3 times with the juices from the tin.
• Once the chicken is out of the oven, cover loosely with foil while you prepare the orzo.
• Cook the orzo in plenty of boiling, salted water for 7 minutes then drain keeping about a mug full of the cooking water.
• Add the crème fraiche, goat’s cheese and juice of 2 lemons then mix well. Taste and add salt and pepper if needed.
• Allow to simmer on a low heat for 5 minutes then taste again. Adjust flavourings to your own preference (salt, pepper, lemon) then stir through the rocket and turn off the heat.
• Roughly chop the parsley and stir through the orzo.

How you eat this is down to you! I removed the breasts and legs from the chicken then served on top of the orzo but this could work equally well in the middle of the table so people can help themselves. If you’re making this for a crowd chicken thighs would be ideal on or off the bone. I don’t tend to cook chicken breasts but if you prefer them, a griddled breast sliced on top of the pasta would also work well.

Cabbage Rolls

This is simple, nutritious and great value. It’s also a welcome side step from the usual mince recipes like chilli or cottage pie. You can use pork or beef mince and adapt the sauce with flavours of your own like garlic or fresh green herbs. Here’s the recipe I like!

Ingredients:

• 1 savoy cabbage
• 500g beef or pork mince
• 1 mug of basmati rice
• Half a teaspoon nutmeg
• Salt and black pepper
• 2 x 500g cartons or jars of passata
• 1 medium red chilli

Method:

For the rolls:

• In a large saucepan, pour out a mug of rice and add two mugs of boiling water. Put a lid on and turn up the heat for a minute, then turn the heat down simmer for 5 minutes. Now take the pan off the heat, leaving the lid on and don’t touch it! The rice will continue to steam and should separate out nicely! (If you’re short on time or not confident about doing that, you can use 3 of the pre-cooked packets of basmati instead.)
• Prepare the cabbage by gently pull away the leaves, keeping them as intact as possible! I find it easiest to make incisions at the base of the cabbage using a sharp knife – this helps the leaves come away whole.
• Boil a big pan of salted water and drop in the cabbage leaves a few at a time. Cook for 2 minutes then remove from the pan and set aside on to a plate.
• Once the rice has cooked and cooled, combine with the mince, nutmeg and a big pinch of salt and black pepper. You can also add other flavours here if you want to; try finely chopped onions, peppers or even chopped nuts.
• Spoon a tablespoon of the mixture in to the centre of each cabbage leaf and wrap it around the filling. It doesn’t have to be neat but it does have to wrap all the way round so take some filling out if you need to.

Steam the rolls for 15 minutes. They are now cooked and can be eaten plain, but I like to accompany with a smooth, spicy sauce.

For the sauce:

• To make the sauce, simply add touch of olive oil and a chopped a chilli (seeds in or out) to a frying pan and fry gently for a few minutes.
• Add the passata and season well with salt, black pepper. Add a pinch of sugar and and a teaspoon of white wine vinegar then simmer for at least 10 minutes.

To serve:

 

You can serve this any way you like, but I usually pour half the sauce out in to a roasting dish then put the rolls on top of the sauce. Pour over the rest, cover and bake for 20 minutes. Alternatively, you can pour the sauce out on to a big platter then put the rolls on top; the colour contrast is fantastic. Either way, they’re just so simple and satisfying! I served some garlicky green beans on the side for crunch and extra flavour.

Stuffed Jalapenos!

Sure you can buy a version of these from the supermarket and stick them in the oven, but seriously, these are SO much better, cheaper and you’ll know exactly what’s in them. This recipe makes 18, which would be just enough for me on my own – they’re really that good.

Ingredients:

• 9 fresh jalapeno peppers
• 2 big tablespoons cream cheese
• 1 tablespoon grated parmesan (about 25g)
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 slice of dry bread (I always save the crusts of a loaf for stuff like this) or 4 heaped tablespoons of shop bought breadcrumbs
• Salt and fresh black pepper

Method:

• Pre-heat your oven to 200 degrees or gas mark 6.
• Half the peppers lengthways and scrape out the seeds and white pith. Leave the stems on (for decoration and eating apparatus).
• In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese with the paprika, salt and pepper. It should loosen up quickly to make it easier to spoon.
• Blitz the bread and parmesan in the food processor, or just mix the shop bought breadcrumbs together with grated parmesan if you’re cheating.
• Using a teaspoon, push the cream cheese mixture in to the hollow of the peppers until you’ve filled them all generously.
• Tip the breadcrumbs out on to a plate then one by one, push the peppers (cheese side down) in to the breadcrumbs.
• Place the peppers on a baking tray and cook in the oven for 10-12 minutes.
• Leave to cool for about 5 minutes before serving unless you want third degree burns of the mouth.

Serve as part of a platter or just for a snack. beware that the heat of the peppers can be unpredictable so grab some water or beer to put the fire out if necessary.

Tomato and Feta Salad with Herby Dressing

I tend to make variations of this salad all the time, but I thought this particular one was blog worthy! There is a great range of vinegars in the supermarket these days, and because they’re inexpensive, you can have a whole variety in your cupboards without spending very much. Sherry vinegar is lovely in place of white wine vinegar in this recipe.

Ingredients:

• Large handful of cherry or baby plum tomatoes
• Half a block of feta
• Half a red onion, very thinly sliced
• 4 or 5 sundried tomatoes, roughly chopped
• 3/4 shallots
• Small handful of fresh mint
• Small handful of flat leaf parsley
• Tablespoon of capers
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method:

• To make the dressing, combine the oil and vinegar with the mustard and a couple of twists of black pepper then set aside.
• Peel and finely chop the shallots – it’s worth taking your time to do this properly 🙂
• Chop the herbs together and add to the dressing along with the shallots and capers. Combine well and taste to check the seasoning.
• Half the fresh tomatoes and place in the serving bowl with the sundried tomatoes and red onion. Crumble in the feta using your fingers to get a range of sizes which makes for a lovely texture.
• Dress the salad with your lovely herby dressing.
• Enjoy with pretty much anything (especially wine).

Try your own combination or experiment with green herbs to find your perfect version.

Spiced Pork with Aubergine Puree and Sundried Tomato Salsa

I called this a ‘posh tea’ when I made it, but I think that’s really only because of the sweep of puree I put across the plate before serving. The aubergine puree is best if you can prepare the aubergine the night before, but it will still taste great if you can’t.

I think this recipe looks really impressive and because only the pork needs cooking just before serving, you could make in advance for a date or dinner party. If you’re just a bit strange like me, or you need a treat, you can make it for your tea on a Monday night.

Ingredients:

• 4 pork loin chops (2 per person)
• 1 aubergine
• 100g sundried tomatoes
• 6 anchovy fillets
• 1 tablespoon capers, drained
• 1 red chilli
• 1 tablespoon each of hot chilli powder, ground coriander and smoked paprika
• 2 tablespoons tahini paste
• Small handful of flat leaf parsley
• Small handful of coriander
• Juice of a lemon
• Olive oil for frying

Method:

• Start by pre-heating the oven to 180 degrees (Gas Mark 5).
• Turn on the biggest gas ring on your cooker (or heat the grill if you don’t have a gas hob), and place the aubergine directly on to the flame. Use tongs to keep turning the aubergine until all side have been charred. Place on a baking tray and cook in the oven for 20 minutes.
• Once soft, slice the aubergine length ways and when it’s cool enough to handle, scrape out the flesh in to a sieve, cover and leave suspended over a bowl overnight if possible. If you’re making everything on the same day, just leave it as long as you can. Draining the aubergine flesh in this way will intensify the flavour.
• Mix together the spices for the pork and pat the mixture on to the meat. Allow to come up to room temperature before cooking.
• Blend the aubergine with the tahini, a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil, half the lemon juice and the parsley. Taste then season with salt if needed. I love a smooth texture but you can leave it a little rougher if you prefer. Cover and store in the fridge.

• For the salsa, blend the sundried tomatoes, anchovy fillets, chilli, capers, the other half of the lemon juice, 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil and coriander. Taste and adjust any of the flavours to your own tastes.

 

• When you’re ready to eat, pour some olive oil over the pork chops and rub in with your hands, heat a frying pan up to a medium heat (don’t let the pan smoke) then add the meat to the pan. Pork benefits from a lower cooking temperature than chicken or steak, so don’t be tempted to crank up the heat!
• Cook for 4 minutes then flip over and cook for a further 4 minutes. Once the time is up, remove the pork and leave on a chopping board or plate to rest for at least 10 minutes.

• While you’re waiting for the pork to rest, take the aubergine puree out of the fridge and heat it for a couple of minutes in the microwave (I had it cold but either works well). Stir the sundried tomato salsa and double check the balance now the flavours have had chance to sit.
• Put a big spoonful of puree on the plate and use the back of your spoon to push it across the plate, creating a swipe.
• Slice the pork in to strips and place in a stack at one end of your swipe.
• Top the pork with a generous spoonful of the salsa.
• Tuck in!

Balsamic Roast New Potatoes

So good with roast chicken or pork for a change from traditional roasties, or great eaten warm as part of a buffet.

Ingredients:

• 1 kg new potatoes
• 2 onions, peeled and quartered
• 100ml balsamic vinegar
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 cloves of garlic, whole, unpeeled
• Salt and pepper
• Chopped flat leaf parsley to finish

Method:

• Pre-heat the oven to 220 degrees (gas mark 7).
• Tip the onions all the potatoes in to your biggest roasting tin, cut the biggest potatoes in half and add plenty of salt and black pepper along with the garlic cloves, oil and vinegar.
• Toss everything together really well.
• Roast for 45 minutes by which time, the vinegar will have caramelised and the potatoes will be soft in the middle.
• Remove the garlic and throw in some chopped parsley for freshness.

 

Steamed Fish with Lime and Pak Choi

The Thai name for steamed fish with lime is Pla Neung Manao, and it’s the inspiration for this recipe. Tonight is one of those no husband nights when I can make something just for me, without having to consider Jason’s appetite! I used Pouting for this recipe, but it can be made with Tilapia (good value), Cod (if you must – remember sustainability), Sea Bass (if you’re feeling flush) or even seafood like scallops and prawns.

Ingredients:

• 1 fillet of white fish
• 1 pak choi
• 1 red finger chilli
• Fresh ginger
• 1 clove of garlic, finely chopped
• 1 handful coriander
• Juice of a lime
• 4 tablespoons light soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons of water

Method:

• Pre-heat the oven to 200 degrees (Gas Mark 6).
• Peel the ginger and slice as thinly as you can to make strips, then finely chop the chilli and garlic. The finer you chop, the more intense the flavour, so use your own taste as a measure on this one.
• Chop the pak choi at the root leaving the leaves separated and give them a good rinse under the cold tap, place them in the centre of a large piece of foil.
• Put the coriander on top of the pak choi then lay the fish over the top.

• Tip the ginger, chilli and garlic on to the fish then add the soy sauce, lime juice and water.
• Fold up the foil to make a sealed packet for the fish to steam in. I find the best way is to use two pieces of foil – lay one on the worktop and then one over the top once you have added all your ingredients, then go round and pinch the two edges together tightly to make a packet with enough room for the steam to circulate.
• Give the fish 10 minutes to soak up some of the flavours before baking in the oven for 12 minutes on an oven proof dish.
• Carefully open the foil packet being careful to burn your fingers, serve with rice and some extra stir fried pak choi.

Sirloin Steak with Beetroot Salad

What a treat. I couldn’t eat this every week as steak is expensive and rich, but I do make the salad to go with burgers.

Ingredients:

• 2 sirloin steaks (I always go for 28 day matured which is definitely worth the extra couple of quid)
• 4 cooked beetroots (vacuum packed)
• Handful of chives, finely chopped
• 75g Danish blue cheese (make sure it’s the creamy, crumbly one like this)
• Bag of rocket
• Classic salad dressing (I suggest Dijon and lemon)
• Extra virgin olive oil
•  Salt and black pepper

Method:

• Remove all packaging from the steak and season with too much salt and black pepper. Drizzle over some oil and rub the steaks so they’re coated with seasoning. Leave uncovered and allow to reach room temperature to ensure the steak cooks evenly.
• Grate the beetroot then squeeze out the juice with your hands. You can keep the juice to drink or throw it away – up to you.
• Drizzle the beetroot with the oil, crumble over the cheese, and finish of with the chives and a squeeze of lemon juice (orange juice is nice too).

• Heat a frying pan until very hot, then add the steaks to the pan making sure you don’t move them at all once they’ve started cooking. After 3 minutes (I always set a timer), turn the steaks over and give them another 3 minutes. (These times will give you medium steak, so adjust if your preference is different).
• Remove the steaks from the pan and rest them for at least 10 minutes.
• While the steak is resting, empty the rocket in to a big bowl and make the salad dressing.
• Once properly rested, slice up the steak in to strips and dress the rocket with your lovely dressing.
• Take everything to the table and just enjoy.

King Prawn and Spring Onion Risotto

When the boys are out, Charlotte and I get the chance to cook recipes that the boys wouldn’t appreciate or enjoy as much. This risotto is a perfect example and was just what I wanted on a Friday night in, matched with a large glass of Villa Maria and an early night.

Ingredients (to serve 2):

• 200g risotto rice
• 225g cooked and peeled king prawns
• Large glass of dry white wine
• 2 chopped cloves garlic
• 1 diced white onion
• 2 spring onions
• 1 lemon
• 750ml chicken stock
• Handful of basil

Method:

• Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a saucepan on a medium heat, add the onion and cook for 5-7 minutes until the onion is soft and translucent.
• Stir through the rice and the chopped garlic making sure the rice is evenly coated in the oil.
• Turn up the heat and add the white wine, then stir until the liquid has reduced down by about half.
• Add the stock a ladleful at a time, continuously stirring the rice.  As soon as the stock has been absorbed add a further ladle and continue until the rice cooked but firm (al-dente).
• Stir through the prawns, add the spring onions and squeeze in the juice of the lemon.
• When the prawns are hot throughout, stir through the freshly chopped basil.