1. Portuguese pork, bean and chorizo stew













Ingredients

600g dried cannellini beans, haricot beans, butter beans or black beans
1.25kg streaky pork
650g rashers of streaky bacon, or pancetta
4 tablespoons Olive oil
450g ham hocks, cut into chunks
450g Onions, roughly chopped
450g Carrots, chopped into 1 cm-thick slices
4 cloves garlic, sliced
2 green peppers, seeded and chopped
1 sprig of Thyme
1 bay leaf
450g very ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped or 1x 410g tin of chopped tomatoes
450g chorizo sausage, cut into 5mm-thick slices
salt and fresh ground black pepper
1 tsp hot smoked paprika
chopped fresh coriander or flat-leaf parsley, to garnish
crusty bread, to serve


Method

1. Set the beans to soak overnight in plenty of cold water.

2. The next day, cut off and discard the rind from the pork and bacon. Cut the pork and bacon into 2.5-5cm chunks.

3. Heat the olive oil in a heavy-based frying pan. Fry the pork, bacon and ham hock chunks in batches and brown on all sides.

4. Transfer the browned meat to a large casserole dish. Drain the excess fat from the frying pan. Add the onion, carrot, garlic, green peppers, thyme and bay leaf and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes stirring now and then.

5. Transfer the onion mixture to the casserole dish. Add the chopped tomatoes and chorizo. Season generously with freshly ground pepper and mix in the paprika. Add enough water to barely cover the meat.

6. Bring the pork mixture to the boil. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer gently on top of the stove for 2-2 and a half hours or cover and bake in a preheated oven at 160ºC/Gas 3 for the same period.

7. Meanwhile drain and rinse the pre-soaked beans. Place them in a large saucepan and cover generously with cold water.

8. Bring the beans to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer until the beans are tender, around 40 minutes to 1 and a half hours, depending on the type of beans. Drain.

9. Add the cooked beans to the stew 15 or 20 minutes before the end of cooking. Check the seasoning and add salt if required. Sprinkle generously with chopped coriander leaves.

10. Serve the stew with crusty bread.

2. Pork and apple sausages with parsnip mash













Ingredients

900g Potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
225g Parsnips, peeled and cut into chunks
450g pork and apple sausages
300ml light beer
2 tsp Sugar
1 tbsp gravy granules
1 tsp Butter
dash of Milk


Method

1. Cover the potatoes and parsnips with water in a large saucepan; boil for 10-15 minutes until soft.

2. Meanwhile in a large pan, dry fry the pork and apple sausages for 12-15 minutes until cooked through. Add the light beer and simmer for 2-3 minutes. Add the sugar and gravy granules; cook until thickened.

3. Drain the potatoes and parsnips, and mash with a knob of butter and a dash of milk.

4. Serve the sausages with the potato and parsnip mash and beer gravy.

3. Porco a alentejana (Portuguese pork with clams)













Ingredients

1 tsp Paprika
300ml dry white wine
3 garlic cloves, chopped
750g boned pork loin, (or boneless chops), cut into 2.5 cm dice
750g clams, small
30g lard
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 bunch Parsley, chopped
1 tbsp tomato purée
1 bunch Coriander, chopped
1 pinch salt and fresh ground black pepper


Method

1. Mix the paprika with the wine, half the garlic and a pinch of salt and pepper. Pour the mixture over the pork and marinate for at least 1 hour (about 4-5 hours is best).
2. Scrub the clams well, rinse in several changes of water, and discard any that remain open when tapped sharply on a work surface. Keep cool until needed.

3. Take the meat out of the marinade and pat dry on kitchen paper. Reserve the marinade. Heat the lard and oil in a frying pan and brown the pork, in two batches. Remove from the pan and set aside.

4. Reduce the heat and add the onion, the remaining garlic and the parsley to the pan and cook gently until tender.

5. Return the pork to the pan along with the marinade and tomato puree. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat, cover and cook gently for about 1 hour, until the pork is very tender, checking occasionally. If necessary, add a little more wine or water. By the time the pork is done, the sauce should be reduced by about half.

6. Raise the heat and add the clams with half the coriander. Cover tightly and shake over a high heat for 2-3 minutes, until the clams have opened. Discard any that stay closed.

7. Take the pan off the heat, taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve immediately, scattered with remaining coriander.

4. Spiced Portuguese pork roast













Ingredients

For the pork:
1 x 2.5kg pork loin, on the bone
6 garlic cloves

For the sauce:
675ml chicken stock
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp grated lemon zest
1/2 tsp Salt
1 tsp freshly ground pepper
3 tbsp chopped coriander

For the spice paste:
3 tbsp ground cumin
6 garlic cloves, very finely chopped
1 tsp Salt
1 tbsp freshly ground pepper
25g coriander leaves, chopped
3 tbsp lemon juice


Method

1. Pre-heat the oven to 200C/gas 6

2. Cut the garlic cloves into thin slivers. Make shallow incisions in the fat side of the pork and insert a garlic sliver in each pocket.

3. For the spice paste, combine the cumin, garlic, salt, pepper, coriander and lemon juice to make a wet paste.

4. Rub the paste over the meat and roast for about 1 hour. Remove from the oven and leave to rest for about 15 minutes. Take the meat from the bone in one piece, and wrap in foil.

5. For the sauce, pour off any excess fat from roasting tin. Break the bones into manageable pieces and add to the tin with the chicken stock.

6. Bring to a boil and simmer until the stock has reduced by half. Strain the stock and pour into a saucepan. Stir in the cumin, lemon zest, salt, pepper and coriander.

7. Return the pork to the oven to warm through, while still wrapped in foil. Arrange on a serving plate and spoon over the sauce.

5. Rolled pork with basil, pine nuts and parsley














Ingredients

For the pork:
1kg boneless loin of pork
skin removed
2 cloves Garlic, crushed
1 tsp Sugar
1 tbsp chopped Basil
1 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tbsp Butter

For the stuffing:
200g sausage meat
2 tbsp toasted pine nuts
2 tbsp Parsley, chopped
2 tbsp Basil, chopped
1 tsp chopped Garlic

For the new potato:
pea and horseradish salad
250g new potatoes
60g peas
1 tbsp chopped Chives
1 tbsp chopped Dill
1 tbsp freshly grated horseradish
2 tbsp white wine vinegar
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil


Method

1. For the pork: put the pork silver-skin side down and vertical in front of you on a clean chopping board. With a large, sharp knife, make an incision along the length of the loin 2cm from the edge. Roll back the cut edge and make another cut slightly sideways, maintaining a thickness of 2cm. Continue cutting in this way until the loin opens a bit like a roly poly sponge.

2. To marinate the pork, rub the inside with the crushed garlic, and season with the sugar, as well as salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste. Sprinkle the chopped basil over the inside, cover the pork with cling film and place in the refrigerator overnight.

3. When you are ready to cook the pork, preheat the oven to 220C/Gas 7.

4. For the stuffing, mix the sausagemeat with the pine nuts, herbs and garlic in a mixing bowl. Take the loin of pork from the fridge and, with a kitchen towel, wipe off the basil that was left on overnight. Spread the sausage mixture over the inside of the pork and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste. Roll it up tightly, wrap in aluminum foil or clingfilm and leave for at least ten minutes.

5. To cook the pork, heat the vegetable oil and butter in a large roasting pan until foaming. Unwrap the pork from the foil and place on the pan and then in the hot oven. For the first 10 minutes, turn the pork frequently until well browned. Lower the heat to 180C/Gas 4 and cook for another 45 minutes, turning occasionally.

7. For the new potato, pea and horseradish salad: boil the potatoes in a pan of boiling, salted water until tender - about 15-20 minutes. Drain well and season with salt and pepper while still warm. Cook the peas in a separate pan of boiling, salted water until tender and drain. Tip the peas in with the potato.

8. Add the chives, dill, horseradish, white wine vinegar and extra virgin olive oil and toss together. Set aside.

9. Remove the pork from the oven, lightly cover with aluminum foil and leave to cool.

10. To serve, cut the pork into 12 even slices and serve with the new potato, pea and horseradish salad.

6. Barbecue sauce spare ribs













Ingredients

1.8kg pork spare ribs
2 tbsp Olive oil
2 Onions, peeled and chopped
4 garlic clove, crushed
2 red chillies, finely chopped
2 tsp Fennel seeds, crushed
115g dark brown sugar
100ml dark Soy sauce
600ml tomato ketchup
salt and fresh ground black pepper


Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas 4. Place the spare ribs on a baking sheet and roast for 25-30 minutes until cooked through.

2. While the ribs are cooking heat the olive oil in a saucepan. Add the onion and garlic and fry until fragrant. Add the chilli, fennel seeds and sugar and cook, stirring often, until sugar melted. Add the soy sauce and tomato ketchup. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Bring to the boil and simmer for around 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

3. Once the ribs have cooked through, remove them from the oven and brush liberally with half the barbecue sauce, leaving half for later. Return the ribs to the oven and cook for a further 10 minutes to glaze the ribs. Serve with the remaining barbecue sauce on the side.

To enjoy these ribs at a barbecue, follow the recipe as above the end of step two. Brush the ribs with barbecue sauce and cook over a preheated barbecue until glazed, then serve.

7. Crisp pork and curried noodle stir-fry













Ingredients

For the pork:
1 x 1kg pork shoulder
500ml water

For the noodles:
1 carrot, sliced on the diagonal
100g sugar snap peas
100g baby sweetcorn
1 tbsp Olive oil
1 small onion, or large shallot, sliced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 red chilli, seeds removed, chopped
1/2 green pepper
1/2 red pepper
1/2 yellow pepper
4 Spring onions, trimmed
1 tsp Sesame oil
1 tbsp Honey
200g egg noodles, cooked
1 tsp curry powder
1 tsp Soy sauce
squeeze lime juice
1 tsp toasted Sesame seeds
1 small sprig Coriander, chopped


Method

1. Preheat the oven to 150C/gas 1. Place the pork shoulder in a deep roasting tin and pour over the water. Cover tightly and seal with foil.
Cook for about 3 hours, or until tender. Top-up with more water if the meat begins to dry out. Leave to cool before removing the skin and shredding the meat into a bowl.

2. While the pork is cooking, blanch the carrots, sugar snap peas and corn in boiling water - cook for 2 minutes before draining. Leave on one side.

3. Heat the olive oil in a non-stick wok set over a high heat. Tip in the pork and fry until it begins to crisp-up.

4. Add the onions, garlic and chilli, and stir fry for a further 1 minute.

5. Add the blanched vegetables, peppers and spring onions, followed by the honey and sesame oil. Continue frying until the honey begins to caramelise.

6. Add the cooked noodles along with the curry powder. Mix well and season with soy sauce and lime juice. Serve scattered with toasted sesame seeds and chopped coriander.

8. Pork chops with spiced lentils













Ingredients

For the pork:
1 tbsp Coriander seeds
8-9 Black peppercorns
5 garlic cloves, crushed
1 knob of root ginger, grated
1 tbsp ground turmeric
Olive oil
4 thick-cut pork chops

For the spiced lentils
50g unsalted Butter
1 tsp each ground coriander, turmeric and cumin
1 small knob fresh root ginger, grated
2 garlic cloves, left whole
1 fresh red chilli, diced
1/2 white onion, finely diced
1 stick Celery, finely diced
200g dried Puy or Umbrian Lentils

To serve:
sautéed Spinach
crème fraîche or Soured cream


Method

1. For the pork: preheat the oven to 140C/gas 1. Heat a small, heavy pan, add the coriander seeds and dry-fry (without oil), tossing often until starting to colour. Remove and crush finely, along with the peppercorns, using a pestle and mortar. Mix in the garlic, ginger, turmeric and enough oil to make a stiffish paste.

2. Using a sharp knife, score the meat in a diamond pattern, making deep incisions into the flesh. Rub the marinade thoroughly all over the meat and into the cuts.

3. Heat a large heavy, non-stick pan, add the chops and fry for about 10-12 minutes, turning once. Put in a dish, cover and keep warm in the oven.

4. For the lentils: melt the butter in a frying pan and when foaming, add the ground spices and fry briefly to extract all their flavour. Toss in the ginger, garlic and chilli. Keep an eye on the pan to ensure the spices do not burn. Throw in the onion and celery and stir-fry for 5 minutes until softened and turning golden. Add the lentils and fry them in the mix for a few minutes. Pour in enough water to cover the lentils and simmer for 15-20 minutes until just cooked, adding a little more water if necessary. The lentils should retain their bite. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

5. Remove the chops from the oven and serve with the spiced lentils, sautéed spinach and a dollop of crème fraîche or soured cream.

9. Sausage and bean stew













Ingredients

1 rosemary sprig
10-12 fresh bay leaves
1 small bunch sage
1 celery stalk
125g dried borlotti beans, soaked overnight
5 garlic clove, 2 left whole, 3 finely chopped
450g Italian pork sausage
2-3 tbsp Olive oil
50ml White wine
200g tin tinned chopped tomatoes


Method

1. Make a bouquet garni with the rosemary, one of the bay leaves and half the sage - wrap them round the celery stalk and tie with string.

2. Drain the beans and put in a saucepan with the two whole garlic cloves and the bouquet garni. Cover with water and bring to the boil. Boil rapidly for 15 minutes, then reduce the heat to a brisk simmer and cook for another 30-45 minutes until the beans are 'al dente'. Remove from the heat and leave in the pan.

3. Cut the central stalks from the remaining bay leaves. Take a sausage and wrap it around a bay leaf, securing it with a wooden cocktail stick. Repeat this with the rest of the sausages, leaving a couple of leaves aside to add separately to the pan.

4. Pierce the sausage skins to allow the fat to be released into the pan.

5. Heat the olive oil in a large high-sided frying panover medium heat. Add the sausages and gently fry, turning them frequently so that they brown evenly and cook all the way through.

6. Remove the sausages from the pan. Set aside and keep warm.

7. Chop the remaining sage. Add this and the chopped garlic to the pan in which you fried the sausages.

8. Raise the heat and add the white wine. Cook briefly, stirring, to allow the alcohol to evaporate.

9. Put the sausages back in the pan, along with the tomato and the reserved bay leaves.

10. Drain the beans, reserving the cooking liquid. Add them to the pan with enough liquid to moisten. Cover and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 15-20 minutes.

11. Season with salt and pepper before serving.

10. Belly of pork and beans













Ingredients

450g dried haricot beans, soaked overnight
2-3 tbsp Olive oil
1 large onion
6-8 whole garlic cloves, peeled
1 celery heart, chopped
900g pork belly
2 x 400g tinned plum tomatoes
200ml passata
3 fresh bay leaves
bouquet garni
salt and fresh ground black pepper



Method

1. Drain the soaked beans and rinse. Transfer them to a large saucepan, cover with water and bring to the boil and boil furiously for 10 minutes.

2. Reduce the heat and cook for 50 minutes. Strain, reserving the water. The beans should be slightly undercooked.

3. Meanwhile, heat the oil and fry the onion, garlic and celery, until softened and translucent.

4. Cut the pork into 2.5cm pieces and add them to the pan, skin side down. Cook until browned. Turn and cook for a further 2-3 minutes.

5. Stir in the tomatoes and passata.

6. Add the bouquet garni and all but around 50g of the beans.

7. Place the remaining beans in a food processor and blitz to a puree. Stir the puree into the sauce to thicken it. Add a little of the liquor in which the beans cooked to ensure the beans are covered. Bring to the boil, then turn down to a gentle simmer, cover tightly with a lid and cook for 1 ½-2 hours, until the meat is tender and the beans are cooked.

8. Sprinkle with flat-leaf parsley and serve with lashings of mashed potato to soak up the juices.

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