Tag: Pork

Cheesy Pork Quesadillas With Avocado Crema

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This dish is one of my favourite comfort foods I make. I use a limey, garlicky, coriander-y marinated pork steak, my creamy refried black beans, two types of cheese and fry it up in a tortilla for a delicious meaty cheesy meal – all dipped in a lovely fresh avocado crema. I am the worst (or the best) for overfilling my quesadillas, but I’m not mad becuase it means I end up with this lovely cheesy crust around the outside. If anything, it makes it better. This is a super flavourful, rich but still fresh tasting meal.

Cheesy Pork Quesadillas With Avocado Crema

Serves 2 | 1 hour cooking + prep (+6-24 hours marinating)

Ingredients

Pork:

2 pork loin steaks, chops or shoulder steaks (~240-300g)

Large handful coriander

2 large cloves garlic

Juice & zest of 2 limes

2tbsp white winer vinegar

Salt & Pepper

Beans:

1 400g tin black beans + their juice

2 large cloves garlic minced

Chicken stock pot/cube

2-3tbsp double cream

Avocado Crema:

1 avocado

Juice 1 lime

1 large clove garlic

100ml sour cream or creme fraiche

Quesadillas:

2 large flour tortillas

1/2 white onion diced

60g grated cheddar*

60g low moisture mozzarella grated (see notes)*

*Cheese amounts are not set in stone – please use as much as you’d like

Method

  1. Prepare the pork – you want the pork to be no thicker than 1.5cm. If it is thicker, lay down cling film, lay the pork on top and then another layer of cling film and flatten the pork using a the flat side of a tenderiser or rolling pin to real 1.5cm or less.
  2. Make the marinade for the pork by adding all the ingredients, bar the pork, to a blender and blending until no large lumps are left. Combine the pork and marinate in a bowl or bag and refrigerate for 6-24 hours. Remove the pork from the fridge about an hour before cooking to reach room temperature for more even cooking.
  3. Next up, the refried beans. Heat a splash of olive oil in a small sauce pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and fry until golden.
  4. Add the beans, their liquid, the chicken stock and ~half a tin of water to the pan. Bring to the boil and reduce for 15-20 mins until about 1/3 of the liquid remains. You could reduce for more or less time depending on how thick you like your beans – I like mine a little thinner.
  5. Smash the beans using a potato masher until your desired texture. This is optional, but I like to stir through a little double cream to get a more luxurious texture. If using, add the cream bit by bit, tasting after each addition until it reaches your desired texture and taste. Season to taste with salt and pepper and set aside
  6. Make the avocado crema – add all ingredients to a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. Cover with cling film, you want the cling film to touch the surface to avoid any browning. Set aside in the fridge until ready to use
  7. Now to cook the pork. Coat the bottom of a cast iron (ideally, but other frying pans will work) and heat over medium high heat. Once hot, add the pork steaks. Cook for 2-3 mins each side until cooked through. Be sure to check there is no pinkness left in the middle – cooking time will depend on your hob, pan and steak thickness.
  8. Rest the pork for 5-10 mins under foil, then cut the steak into 1cm cubes.
  9. Now it’s time to assemble the quesadillas. Put a large, dry pan over medium low heat and add the first tortilla. Fill one half of the tortilla as follows: a layer of beans, cheddar, chopped onion, pork, mozzarella. Fold over the tortilla and press down.
  10. Cook until golden brown, flip and cook the other side. A good hint for flipping is to place a plate on top of the frying pan, flip the quesadilla onto the plate then slide it back into the pan.
  11. Repeat to make the second the second quesadilla.
  12. Chop into thirds and serve with the avocado crema for dipping.

Note: In the UK we can’t get blocks of low moisture mozz so we have to use the grated stuff. In this case you’ll need to wash the mozzarella to get rid of the starch (this is used to stop the cheese sticking to itself, but it’ll also stop you getting a nice melt). Put the cheese into a sieve and rinse under cold water until the water runs clear. Spread the cheese in a thin layer onto paper towels and leave to dry.

Italian Sausage Rolls

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These are my go to for pretty much any occasion. Picnic on a park? Italian sausage rolls. People coming for dinner that you want to impress? Italian sausage rolls. Think all the comfort of a sausage roll but with the push of Italian flavours. Im talking garlic, pecorino, fennel & my secret ingredient anchovies. These sausage rolls are so simply but always seem to impress. And the best part: frying up the sausage meat to taste for seasoning (chef’s perks).

Italian Sausage Rolls

Makes ~20-24 mini rolls | 20 min prep / 25-35 min cooking

Ingredients

400g sausage meat (or sausages removed from casing)

2 fat cloves of garlic, minced

3 anchovy fillets, finely chopped

Handful of parsley, finely chopped

2 tbsp fennel seeds,  ground (use pestle mortar, coffee grinder or a sharp knife)

1tbsp freshly grated parmesan

1tbsp  freshly grated pecorino (or another tbsp parm)

½ tsp dried thyme

1.5 tsp oregano

¼ tsp garlic powder

¼ tsp onion powder

A few shakes of chilli flakes

1 roll puff pastry

1 egg + splash milk beaten

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan
  2. Add all ingredients apart from the pastry, egg and milk to a bowl. Add some freshly ground pepper and a pinch of salt (you won’t need much as the cheese and anchovies are already quite salty). Mix until combined
  3. Taste the sausage mixture by frying a small amount and adjust seasoning accordingly
  4. Once happy with the seasoning, unroll your puff pastry and cut in half lengthwise. 
  5. Form half the sausage mix into a log going the length of one piece of the pastry. The sausage should be even in width and reach end to end.
  6. Brush the egg mix along the far side of each pastry piece running parallel to the sausage. Roll the near side of the pastry over the sausage, keep rolling until it hits the egg wash. Repeat on the second piece of pastry.
  7. With the seam pointing down, brush the top of the logs with egg wash. Cut each log into 10-12 pieces (or less, depending on the size you want). Arrange these on a baking sheet lined with non-stick paper.
  8. Bake for 25-35 mins until golden brown. Enjoy still warm from the oven!

Turkish Eggs With Spicy Sausage

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Have you been searching for a breakfast that takes less than 30 mins but will have anyone who eats it thinking you’re a professional chef who got up at 5am to cook their breakfast? Well, I have some great news for you – I’ve created this recipe for the non-morning people who want sleep AND a tasty breakfast.

The best thing about this recipe is that the yoghurt is white so its hides how badly done my poached eggs are… Not really, the best part is how unbelievably TASTY this thing is. Turkish eggs have been a firm brunch fave of mine since I had them in a deli once when I was 17 but I haven’t found them in many restaurants since. We have creamy garlicky yoghurt, sweet & spicy sausage, spicy oil and runny eggs, all scooped up with some good quality bread. Can it get any better than that at breakfast time?!

Turkish Eggs With Spicy Sausage

Serves 2 | 30 mins prep + cooking

Ingredients

Sausage Mix:

4 pork sausages, casings removed OR ~250g sausage meat

1tsp smoked paprika

1/2tsp cayenne pepper (more if you like spicy, less if you don’t)

1/4tsp cinnamon

1 large clove garlic, minced

2tsp honey

Salt, to taste

Turkish Eggs:

250g full fat Greek yoghurt

1 large clove garlic, minced

30g butter

1-2tbsp olive oil

1/4-1/2 tsp chilli flakes

4 eggs

A few sprigs of parsley to garnish

Good bread to serve, e.g. focaccia, sourdough

Method

  1. Add all ingredients for the sausage into a bowl and mix with your hands until all the spices are fully incorporated. Taste for seasoning by frying up a small amount of the mix, adjust as needed.
  2. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over medium high heat. Add gold ball sizes of sausage meat, flattened (this doesn’t need to be neat as you’ll chop them up later), into the pan. Don’t overcrowd the pan, do in batches if necessary. Cook for 2-3 mis on each side until cooked through, cooking time will depend on you pan, hob and thickness of the patties (test a patty by cutting into it and checking for any pink). Set the sausage aside and chop roughly into chunks.
  3. To the sausage pan, add the butter and cook on medium heat until the foaming subsides. At this point, remove the pan from the heat and stir in your chilli flakes. It should froth slightly.
  4. Heat some water in a wide deep pan over medium heat.
  5. In a heatproof bowl, combine the yoghurt, garlic and salt to taste. Warm this mix in the hot water to body temperature.
  6. Next step is to poach your eggs (see note)
  7. To assemble, spoon the yoghurt into a wide bowl. Place 2 eggs on top and arrange the sausage around the eggs. Spoon over some of the chilli/oil/butter mix. Serve with some chopped parsley and good bread.

Note: I am by no stretch of the imagination an eggs-pert at this so please use whatever method you prefer. But if you want to try method, here it is:

  1. Add 1-2tsp of white wine vinegar to the wide pan of water. Heat the water to 180 degrees C.
  2. Crack your fridge cold eggs into a small bowl or ramekin.When the water is to temperature, scrape away any bubbles that form in the pan. slightly submerge the bowl so some water from the pan enters, the tip the egg out.
  3. Scoop around and over the egg to try and form its into a ball
  4. Cook for 2-4 mins, until to your desired runnniness.