Weekend Foodie: Sweet chilli pork dish brings warmth as winter lows dig in
his simple and fast pork stir fry is accompanied by some stir-fried cabbage and peppery salad leaves.
With the first winter chills setting in, we are all surely in need of something to warm us up from the inside out. A bit of chilli spice should do the trick!
This weekend, my main course is a trip down memory lane, with a dish based on one I used to love having at Happy House Chinese Restaurant in Kentish Town, North London. It consists of a mix of pork loin strips glazed with sweet chilli sauce, but also given a lift with some dried red chilli flakes, for those who would like a little bit of pep in their step as winter digs in. Extra chilli is optional. This simple and fast pork stir fry is accompanied by some stir-fried cabbage and peppery salad leaves. All it needs is some rice or noodles, whichever takes your fancy.
I’m following it with a favourite dessert, and one that is definitely a must for the approaching festive season. If you’ve never made your own profiteroles, now’s the time to try - so you can impress the folks at Christmas. When I was a trainee chef, I loved making profiteroles because choux pastry is the easiest pastry you’ll ever make. Melt butter in water in a pan, and add the flour and salt and beat until the mix leaves the sides of the pan. Remove from heat, beat in the eggs – and bingo! Pipe them into balls and bake, cool, fill with cream, pile them up and drizzle with my luscious dark chocolate sauce. Then stand back and wait for the compliments!
- 4 boneless pork loin steaks
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 3 tbsp sweet chilli sauce
- 1 tsp Chinese five spice
- 1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Sunflower oil for cooking
- 1 bunch spring onions, trimmed and chopped
- Pinch dried red chilli flakes (optional)
- 1 fat finger fresh root ginger, grated
- Extra soy and sweet chilli sauce to finish
- For the greens:
- 1 small head of spring York cabbage, trimmed, finely shredded, rinsed and dried
- Handful spicy leaves, rinsed and dried
- Sunflower oil for cooking
- 1/2 tsp Chinese Five Spice
- Cut the loin steaks into thin strips and place in a bowl.
- Add soy, sweet chilli sauce, five spice and garlic and turn to coat. Season with freshly ground black pepper.
- Marinate for at least 30 minutes in a cool place, or in the fridge all day or overnight.
- To cook the pork, heat a little oil in a pan till smoking hot.
- Add the pork in batches to brown all over.
- When browned, put it all in the pan together and add the spring onions, chilli flakes and ginger. Cook for a minute.
- Add 2 tbsp each soy and sweet chilli sauce, and bubble for a minute or two to form a glaze, turning.
- At the same time, heat enough oil in another big frying pan to shallow fry the greens. You want to cover the base of the pan generously with oil. Heat to smoking.
- Add the greens and stir-fry to crisp.
- Drain on kitchen paper and season with five spice, salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Serve the pork on the greens. Decorate with coriander. Serve with boiled rice or noodles.
- 50g butter
- 150mls water
- 65g plain flour sifted with a pinch of salt
- 2 fresh free-range eggs
- 150mls cream
For the chocolate sauce:
- 300mls water
- 75g dark chocolate, 70% cocoa solids
- 1 tsp cocoa powder
- 25g sugar
- Place butter and water in a pan and heat gently till the butter has dissolved.
- Bring to bubbling.
- Reduce heat. Shoot in all the flour mix at once and beat well, till the mix leaves sides of pan.
- Remove from heat. Cool.
- Beat in eggs one at a time till the mix is shiny and glossy and has a dropping consistency.
- Spoon or pipe equal-sized balls onto a baking sheet lined with baking parchment.
- Bake in a pre-heated oven Gas 6 400F 200C (190C fan assisted) for 20 minutes, or until well risen and golden brown.
- Cool on a wire rack.
- For the chocolate sauce, place half the water in a pan with the remaining ingredients and heat gently till the chocolate has melted. Stir smooth.
- Add remaining water and bring to bubbling. Boil rapidly for 5 minutes or until mix is reduced slightly, shiny and coats the back of a spoon.
- Remove from heat. This sauce can be served hot or cold.
- Make a small hole in each choux bun, then fill each with whipped cream.
- Heap onto a serving platter and pour over the sauce to serve.
Supervalu have some pretty amazing wines on offer for the festive season, with some great reductions to be had. I’m choosing an elegant red wine which will help land the flavours of this pork dish perfectly in the mouth. La Croissade Reserve Pinot Noir is a Vin de Pays from the Languedoc region, but its country wine status doesn’t mean it’s not a sophisticated little number! This French red echoes the damson and mulberry flavours typical of the Pinot Noir grape. Reserve on the label indicates some ageing, so you’ll find depth of flavour here as well, with a finishing brush of sophisticated, silky black cherry on the tongue. It will definitely handle the spiciness of the pork and the piquancy of the chilli in this dish. Great news too - it's currently reduced in Supervalu to half price – down from €17.99 to €8.99 until December 10 or while stocks last.
Pork loin chops 825gL €5.00 special offer
Spring onions bunch: 99c
Ginger 100g: 55c
Five Spice powder 48g: €3.00
Irish York cabbage 1 piece: €1.39
Sweet chilli sauce 350g: €1.99
Dried red chilli flakes 26g: 75c
Total: €13.67
Flour 1kg: €1.29
Free Range eggs half dozen: €2.39
Cream 250mls: €1.59
Dark chocolate 85% cocoa solids 100g: €1.79
GRAND TOTAL: €20.73
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