Pork, Plum and Sage Pasties

Serves 5
Cooking Time 30 minutes

Recipe ingredients
225g (8oz) Lean mince pork
2 Fresh plums, stones removed and chopped
15mlsp (1tbsp) Plum jam
Seasoning
15mlsp (1tbsp) Fresh sage, chopped
500g Packet premade shortcrust pastry
Egg and milk to glaze

Preparation
Pre-heat oven to Gas Mark 4, 180ºC, 350ºF.

Place pork, plums, jam, seasoning and sage in a large bowl, mix together well.

Roll out the pastry and using approx 17cm (6½”) bowl/saucer cut out 4 circles, re-roll and you should be able to cut one more.

Place a large spoonful of the mixture into the centre of the circle, lightly brush the edges of the pastry with a little water and fold the pastry around the filling. Press edges together and seal with a crimp pattern.

Brush with egg and milk glaze, and place on a non-stick baking tray (or use baking parchment).

Bake in a pre-heated oven for about 25-30 minutes until pastry is golden brown.

Serving suggestion
Serve hot or cold, great with a fruity relish or chutney.

Source – Love Pork

Match 7 – France v’s England

French-style pork chops with cream and mustard

Serves 2
Ingredients

• 1 tbsp vegetable, sunflower or olive oil
• 15g butter
• 2 medium-sized pork chops
• 125g chestnut or button mushrooms, rinsed and sliced
• 100ml dry white wine or vegetable stock made with 1/2 tsp vegetable bouillon
• 1/2 tsp chopped fresh thyme or 1/4 tsp dried thyme
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 2-3 tbsp double cream or crème fraîche
• Ground black pepper and lemon juice

Method
Heat a medium sized frying pan and add the oil. When it’s hot add the butter, then lay the pork chops in the pan. Brown for about 2-3 minutes on each side, then turn the heat down and cook for a further 3 minutes or so each side depending how thick they are. Remove from the pan and set aside on a warm plate. Cook the mushrooms in the remaining oil and butter until lightly browned. Scoop them out and add to the pork. Pour in the wine or stock, add the thyme and bubble up until the liquid has reduced by about two thirds. Take the pan off the heat and stir in the cream or crème fraîche and mustard then warm through gently taking care not to let the sauce boil. Season with salt and plenty of black pepper (and a squeeze of lemon juice if you’re using cream rather than crème fraîche). Return the chops and the mushrooms to the pan together with any juices, heat through for another couple of minutes then serve with boiled new potatoes or buttered tagliatelle and some green beans or broccoli.

Recipe source www.thefrugalcook.blogspot.co.uk

English Roast Pork Recipe
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour, 40 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour, 50 minutes
Ingredients:
•    1.35 kg/3 lb loin of Pork
•    4 tbsp extra virgin rapeseed or olive oil
•    Sea salt flakes
•    1 medium onion, halved with skin on
•    2 tsp plain flour
•    1 glass dry cider or white wine
•    1 pt/500ml chicken or vegetable stock
•    1 tsp ice cold butter
Method
Preheat the oven to 220°C/425°F/gas 7
•    The pork should be at room temperature before you start this recipe. Using a paper towel dry the pork all over including the skin.
•    Using a very sharp knife (A Stanley or Craft knife works well) make slashes approx a finger width apart across the skin, don’t cut through to the meat, about half way down the fat is good.
•    Rub the skin with the oil ensuring it goes down into the slashes. Sprinkle with salt, again make sure it is down into the slits.
•    Place the pork into a large roasting tin. Tuck the two onion halves under the meat, this will help keep the meat upright as well as adding flavour to the meat. Cook for 1 hour and 40 minutes. If you are using a larger or smaller joint then cook for 25 minutes per 450g/1lb, plus add on a further 25 minutes.
•    Switch off the oven (unless you need to cook the crackling further, see note below). Remove the meat from the roasting tin and place onto a serving plate, cover loosely with foil and place in the oven with the door slightly ajar. If you need to keep the oven hot (ie for cooking potatoes or maybe Yorkshire Puddings then wrap the meat completely in foil and keep in a warm place.
•    Remove the onion from the pan, then place the pan on the stove top over a high heat until the meat juices begin to bubble but not burning. Add the flour, and stir to blend into the meat juices. Pour in the cider or wine and scrape all the juices from the bottom of the pan, reduce to a sticky glaze. Do not leave the pan unattended as the reduction happens very quickly.
•    Add the stock and and stir well,
•    Strain the gravy through a fine sieve into a saucepan and reduce by one-third. Add the butter in tiny pieces shaking the pan gently until the all the butter is absorbed. Keep warm until needed.
•    Remove the crackling from the pork and carve into thick slices.
•    Serve with pieces of crackling and the gravy, seasonal vegetables, Apple Sauce is a great accompaniment as is Sage and Onion Stuffing. Don’t forget the traditional Yorkshire Puddings if it is a Sunday lunch.
Recipe source wwwbritishfood.about.com

Match 8 – Ukrane v’s Sweden

Ukrainian Baba’s Pork Roast

Ingredients

• 4 pounds pork shoulder roast
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 2 onions, thinly sliced
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 4 medium beets
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 pound pitted prunes
• 1 teaspoon paprika

Method
1.Pat meat dry with a paper towel and rub with 2 tablespoons flour and salt. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown meat on all sides. Add the sliced onions, cover, and reduce heat to low. Cook for about one hour, adding a little water if necessary. Turn meat twice during the roasting process.
2.Place beets in a saucepan with water to cover. Bring to a boil over medium heat and cook until beets are tender. Drain, reserving liquid. Chop beets into cubes and add to the roasting pan. Add prunes and beet water, cover, and simmer for 5 minutes.
3.Remove roast to a platter. Mix 1 tablespoon of flour with sour cream. Pour into roasting pan and mix well, scraping the sides and bottom. Simmer until sauce thickens. Season with paprika and taste. Adjust seasoning if necessary.
Recipe source www.allrecipes.com

Prune Stuffed Pork Roast With Browned Potatoes, Swedish Style

Ingredients
•    8 medium potatoes
•    4 lbs pork loin
•    14 -16 pitted prunes
•    1 lemon, halved
•    1 teaspoon salt
•    1/4 teaspoon pepper
•    1 teaspoon ground ginger
•    1 (10 3/4 ounce) can condensed beef broth, undiluted (I use consome)
•    1/4 cup butter, melted
•    1/2 teaspoon paprika
GRAVY
•    3 tablespoons flour
•    1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
•    1/2 cup milk
Method
1.    Wash and pare potatoes. Cut into slices, 1/8 inch thick, down through the top of each potato, being careful not to cut through to the bottom, leaving the bottom intact. Place in ice water to chill for about 1 hour, while you get everything else ready.
2.    Wipe the pork with damp paper towels; trim off excess fat.
3.    Preheat oven to 350*F. With a long narrow, sharp knife, starting at each end pierce through to center of roast. Using fingers, push fruit into the holes to completely fill. Rub roast on all sides with half a lemon. sprinkle with salt, pepper and ginger.
4.    Place fat side up, in shallow roasting pan without rack. Pork will rest on bones. Pour beef broth around. Cover the pan with foil or a tight fitting lid and roast, covered, for 30 minutes.
5.    Remove from oven. Drain and dry potatoes.
6.    Melt butter with paprika. Roll dry potatoes in this twice, then place in roasting pan around the roast. Pour remaining paprka butter over potatoes. Roast, uncovered, basting every half hour with pan drippings. (add water if needed).
7.    Roast 1 hour 20 minutes, or until thermometer registers 175*F. Remove roast and potatoes to heated platter; keep warm in a low oven.
8.    Make a gravy by pouring pan drippings into a two cup measure. Skim off fat, reserving 2 TBS. Put the 2 TBS fat into roasting pan. Stir in the flour and ginger until smooth. Cook stirring over low heat to brown the flour slightly. Add water to the pan drippings to make 1 1/4 cup and gradually stir into the flour mixture along with the milk; bring to boiling, stirring until thickened.
9.    Serve with the roasted pork and potatoes for a really special meal.
Recipe source  www.food.com/recipe

Match 6 – Ireland v’s Croatia

Irish Coddled Pork with cider

Ingredients
small knob butter
2 pork loin chops
4 rashers smoked bacon , cut into pieces
2 potatoes , cut into chunks
1 carrot , cut into large chunks
1⁄2 small swede , cut into chunks
1⁄2 large cabbage , cut into smaller pieces
1 bay leaf
100ml Irish cider
100g chicken stock
method
1.    Heat the butter in a casserole dish until sizzling, then fry the pork for 2-3 mins on each side until browned. Remove from the pan.
2.    Tip the bacon, carrot, potatoes and swede into the pan, then gently fry until slightly coloured. Stir in the cabbage, sit the chops back on top, add the bay leaf, then pour over the cider and stock. Cover the pan, then leave everything to gently simmer for 20 mins until the pork is cooked through and the vegetables are tender.
3.    Serve at the table spooned straight from the dish.
Recipe Source  www.bbcgoodfood.com

North Croatian Pork and Sauerkraut Stew (Sekeli Gulash)
Ingredients
700 g pork necks (no bones)
•  150 g onions
•  100 g lard
•  1 teaspoon flour (optional)
•  1 teaspoon paprika (dried, red)
•  1 bay leaf
•  1 teaspoon caraway seed
•  1 1/2 cups white wine
•  800 g sauerkraut
•  100 g sour cream
•  1/2 teaspoon pepper
•  1 teaspoon salt
Method
1.    Cut pork meat into small pieces.
2.    Finely slice onion and sauté it on lard until soft. Add meat and continue to sauté it until meat starts to change color.
3.    Add paprika and mix. Add some wine and continue to sauté it.
4.    After 10 to 15 minutes add sauerkraut (sliced), bay leaf, caraway seeds and more wine. Add water and brine (only if you like it really sour).
5.    Cook 30 to 40 minutes on low fire. After 20 minutes add flour (just one teaspon if you want thicker stew) and mix well. Continue to cook until sauerkraut is soft.
6.    Before serving add sour cream and mix.
Recipe source

Match 5 – Spain v’s Italy

Spainish Chorizo & Pork Belly with haricot beans
Ingredients
750g piece of boneless pork belly , skin removed
olive oil
130g diced pancetta
1 large onion , chopped
2 garlic cloves , roughly chopped
1 tsp hot smoked paprika
200g chorizo , roughly chopped
400g tin chopped tomatoes
150ml red wine
400g haricot or cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
a bunch coriander

method
1.    Heat the oven to 160C/fan 140C/gas 3. Cut the pork belly into large chunks. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large, ovenproof casserole and fry the pork in batches over a high heat until browned all over, then remove with a slotted spoon.
2.    Add the pancetta and cook for 2-3 minutes until golden, then reduce the heat slightly and add the onion and garlic. Cook for 2-3 minutes until softened. Stir in the paprika and chorizo and cook for a minute or so. Return the pork to the pan and tip in the tomatoes. Pour in the wine and enough water just to cover – about 350ml. Season, cover and cook in the oven for 2 hours. Stir in the haricot beans and return to the oven, without the lid, for 20-30 minutes. Stir in the coriander and serve with crusty bread.
Recipe Source www.bbcgoodfood.com/

Italian Pork & Rosemary Lasagne

Ingredients
tsp olive oil , plus extra for greasing
400g lean minced pork (less than 5% fat)
1 onion , finely chopped
2 sticks celery , finely chopped
1 tsp dried rosemary
150ml white wine
425ml chicken stock
2 tbsp tomato purée
400g can chopped tomatoes
1 tsp cornflour
2 x 250g tubs Quark
250ml skimmed milk
freshly grated nutmeg
10 dried lasagne sheets, about 175g/6oz in total
15g/½oz freshly grated parmesan (about 5 tbsp)

Method
1.    Preheat the oven to 190C/Gas 5/fan oven 170C. Heat the oil in a non-stick pan, add the pork and quickly fry until starting to become brown and crumbly. Add the onion, celery, rosemary and wine and bring to the boil. Cover and gently cook for 10 minutes, until softened.
2.    Add the stock, tomato purée, canned tomatoes, and season. Stir well, then bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 30 minutes by which time it will be nicely pulpy. Blend the cornflour to a paste with a few drops of water, then add to the pan and cook briefly until slightly thickened. Remove from the heat.
3.    Tip the Quark into a bowl. Give it a stir, then stir in the milk, nutmeg, seasoning.
4.    Brush a 1.4 litre/2½ pint oblong dish with a little oil. Spoon a third of the meat over the base, then cover with 2 sheets of lasagne, breaking them to fit, if necessary. Try to avoid overlapping. Spread with a third of the sauce, a little parmesan, then 2 more sheets of lasagne. Repeat layers twice more, omitting the last layer of lasagne and finishing with the sauce.
5.    Sprinkle with remaining parmesan and bake for 30-35 minutes, until golden and tender.
Recipe source www.bbcgoodfood.com