Something different. Old Brown Sherry Pork with garlic,parmesan and rosemary potatoes

I love trying new things in the kitchen. This weekend I bought the latest edition of my favourite mag, and two recipes jumped straight out at me. The 1st of these two, I tried last night. It turned out absolutely delishy, and as per usual, I added my own little flair.

The recipe calls for a little bit of preparation, but is well worth it.

Please excuse the grainy photo, (my camera refuses to focus on anything), and the lack of presentation, (the kinder had been awake since 4:30, yes in the morning. By the time I dished supper up, I just wasn't bothered with how pretty it looked).

Enjoy!

What you'll need

1 x Pork fillet, or pork leg with the fat cut off
A bottle of Old Brown Sherry
1 x Large onion
4 x Spring onion
Soy sauce
Balsamic vinegar
Garlic / Ginger Mix
Olive Oil
Sesame or Peanut Oil
Flour or Maizena
Butter
1 x Lemon
Baby veggies of your choice
Potatoes to roast
Parmesan
Garlic powder
Dried rosemary (Robertsons)
Salt to taste

Cut the pork into steaks of your choice in size
Rub salt into the meat, to your taste
Finely chop half the onion and the 4 spring onions
In a fairly large casserole or marinating bowl add 375mls of Old Brown Sherry, 120mls Soy sauce, 30mls Balsamic vinegar, 20mls of your sesame or peanut oil, 2 teaspoons of the garlic / ginger mix, and your onions and spring onions. Mix it up and add the pork steaks, making sure they are completely submerged in the sauce and allow to marinate for 4 to 6 hours.

About an hour before you cook the pork, peel and cut your potatoes and par boil in salt. Once the potatoes are still firm remove from heat, drain the water and wash off. Coat in olive oil and sprinkle garlic powder, Parmesan, salt and dried rosemary over them, cover and allow to cool in the fridge for about 30 minutes.

In a deep pot, add a little butter or olive oil and place your pork steaks into the pot, let them cook until the meat has turned brown and is cooked through.

In a separate pot, add the left over marinate sauce and bring to the boil, add flour or Maizena to thicken, turn the sauce down to the lowest heat.

Preheat your oven to 200 degrees and pop your potatoes in to roast while the pork is cooking.

Just before you dish up, put your baby veg in a bowel with a blob of butter and the juice of half a squeezed lemon, and microwave until they are cooked but still firm.

The result, a wonderfully rich meal with contrasting flavours.

Enjoy with a glass of dry red wine, preferably a rich Merlot like Stellar Winery's Organic Merlot.

Chicken Chingada - (Kinda)

Thanks to my sister for this recipe. My muse in all things cooking!



This recipe is not for the weight watchers, and is sure to go straight to the hips, but it is absolutely DIVINE!!!!!!!! Real comfort food for those cold winter nights.



Here's what you'll need.



A little Olive or regular oil

1 x Medium sized onion

Salt

500 to 750 grams Deboned, skinless chicken breasts

1 x Tub of pouring cream

1/2 a bottle of Wellingtons Sweet Chilli Sauce

3 to 5 Tablespoons of cheap mustard, I used Mellow and Mild

A French loaf or assorted breads



Oil in your frying pan and pre-heat

Pop your onion in and fry until slightly brown

Cut your chicken breasts into strips

Turn the stove down and fry your chicken with the onions, until the chicken is almost cooked. (No blood, but still a little tough)

Add salt to taste

Remove the chicken and onions into a bowl

Put the pan back onto the stove and turn the stove down to 1 or 2

Pour the cream into your pan

Add the mustard and half the bottle of sweet chilli sauce

Give the sauce a good stir so that everything is mixed

Put your chicken and onion back into the pan with the sauce and allow to simmer for about 10 minutes.

Serve in separate bowls or in a large caserole dish, with your french loaf or assorted breads.



The point here is to dip your bread in the yummy, yummy sauce whilst picking out the chicken bits.



ENJOY!

WARNING

I have to warn you before I start posting pics and recipes, I don't do bland food in any form.

For me, food becomes appealing when it is rich in colour, texture, aroma and taste. I like to "play with my food". I very rarely measure quantities, unless the recipe calls for exact measurements, so get used to words like dollop and glug. I use a lot of salt, we never salt, or assault as we like to call it, our food once it has been cooked, and I love spices and fresh herbs, so it may be best to visit your local spice shop as well as purchase a mortar and pestle.

Like my food, my wines should be bold and rich. A sweet wine should be like mixer drink, and a dry wine needs to have a full woody dryness about it. I usually have a cheap dry red, aka Tassenburg, and a white, aka Crackling, on standby for cooking purposes.

I am never without my 4 cooking luxuries, Olive Oil, Balsamic Vinegar, Peanut Oil and Coconut milk. I have stock cubes in every flavour, including onion, garlic and chili.

I only warn you so that you can adjust what I post in ways you see fit. Some people don't like, or cannot handle rich foods.

However, in complete contrast to my food and wine choices, I love trinket/bargain shopping for my home. The best finds are usually the goods relegated to clearance sales and back shelves. We have a huge warehouse 2nd hand store in Port Elizabeth, and I love browsing one shelf after the next looking at the things people discard. No wooden piece of furniture is beyond repair without a little TLC. Similarly, I love Mr Price Home, I find their range of candles, cushions, towels etc fascinating. There is a reason I have limited credit with them.

I understand my minimalistic approach to living and my rich tastes in food and wine do not fit in with everyone's approach, and because of this I would love to hear and see pictures of everyone elses favourite recipes, wines and bargain finds.

I will upload once a week with my input and photos, unless something very exciting comes up.

Keep well ladies,
Nix

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I know, I know... far too much on my plate, so to speak.



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