Mid-Week Dinner: Pork Steaks, Baked Potato & Peas

Thursday nights are and will always be Boys Nights! But here's the thang: I still have to feed my family before I can go anywhere...
I arrive home from the office and immediately pop on my apron and crack a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon. Ready to cook! Out with the griddle pan, on with the gas. This needs to be a quick dinner - I need to leave. The guys are waiting...

Ingredients:
3x Pork Steaks
Spice (Salt, Paprika, Steak & Chops)
Can of Petit Pois Peas
Knob of Butter
1T Brown Sugar
3x Medium Potatoes
Knorr Garlic Sauce
Beetroot Salad

I must quickly tell you about Knorr's range of instant sauces... these things are wonderful! I particularly like the fact that they have launched a recipe website where all the recipes use Knorr products! Check out http://www.whatsfordinner.co.za. It is simply marvelous!

Method:

The Potatoes
1. Bring the kettle to the boil.
2. Prick the potatoes with a fork and place in a microwave dish.
3. Cover with boiling water and place in the microwave (Yes, I use a microwave!)
4. Cook on High for about 18 to 20 minutes, checking potatoes nearer the end of the cooking time. If fork goes in easily, it is cooked.
5. Drain and set aside.


The Steaks
1. Heat a griddle pan until smoking hot.
2. Season the steaks.
3. Fry the steaks.

The Peas
1. Empty contents of tin into a small saucepan.
2. Apply heat and bring to a boil.
3. Remove from heat and drain.
4. Add a knob of butter and tablespoon of brown sugar.
5. Put back on heat and dissolve butter & sugar, stirring softly (to not break the peas)

The Sauce
1. Empty contents of packet into a measuring jug.
2. Add 250ml boiling water, stir like crazy.

Plate and Serve, with side order of beetroot salad! ... and then run away to boys night...

Mid-Week Dinner: Hearty and Simplistic

So, last night I get home after an evening of pure chaos - fetching Celine, shopping, dropping of DVDs for dad, fixing a friend's computer - I realize I don't know what to cook for dinner...

The pressure mounts with my daughter asking, 'When are we eating dad? I'm hungry!' As if I don't have enough pressure at work. Stress! Stress!

Thankfully, I remember an amazing dish I tasted a little while ago at a very very dear friend's house - Pork Chops in Apple & Chutney, served on a bed of mash & a side order of cabbage. My brother-in-law would be going 'Eeeewww' right now. He really loves cabbage... NOT!

Ingredients:
Pork Loin Chops (1 per person)
Apple Purity (2x 200ml) - Yes, baby food!
Mrs Balls Chutney (1/2 bottle)
Large Potatoes (3-4)
Salted Butter (about 125g)
Cabbage (a head, green)
Dash of Olive Oil
Seasoning - Salt & Pepper
Splash of Milk

Method:

For the Pork
1. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan (30cm), season and brown the pork chops - don't crowd the pan.
2. Once browned, put them aside and de-glaze the pan with a little of the wine you are drinking...
3. Add the Apple Purity and Chutney into the pan and bring up a simmer, stirring to mix.
4. Add the brown pork chops and cover with a lid.
5. Simmer for 50 to 60 minutes, checking every now and then to make sure it does not stick to the bottom of the pan.

For the Mash
1. Peel the potatoes and cut into chunks - this just decreases the cooking time - and place them in a pot, on the stove / burner.
2. Add cold water - Rule of Thumb: Cold water for vegetables that grow underground - and bring to a boil.
3. Add about 1tsp of salt and boil for 15 to 20 minutes - test softness with a fork
4. Once cooked, drain in a colander
5. Place potatoes back in the pot and mash with a potato masher, adding the butter and milk.
6. Mash until smooth.

For the Cabbage
1. In a pot, bring about 1cm of water to the boil.
2. Cut up a heat of cabbage (approx. 2cm cubes) and add to the water.
3. Add salt to taste.
4. Cover and simmer on a low heat, until the cabbage is soft (around 10 min)

Plate and serve. This meal is perfect for those winter nights, when the rain is falling and it is freezing outside. Maybe some snow on the Ceres mountains... you get my drift. This food may be rustic but it can definitely be served at an informal dinner party.

This brings me finally to the wine. What is a meal without a great bottle of wine? The rule of thumb for pairing a wine to a dish: Wine should be equal to or higher in sugar than the dish. In this case, a good Riesling would be advisable. With saying that though... I have just been raked over the coals by Chef Sam... her response to a Riesling was simply 'Oooooo - erch'. Her choice is a light red Pinotage or a Rose. I may need to concede on this one...