Recipe: Pasta with pork sausage and spinach topped with garlic bread croutons

All energy fennel, all becomes you

If you love pasta, you may agree that it is easy to fall into habits where you end up preparing the same dishes with almost ritualistic regularity. We all have our favourite pasta dishes, but if you want to expand your repertoire to include another relatively quick meal, with an added twist of originality, then try this.

Good quality pork sausage meal is skinned and tossed into pasta, baby leaf spinach and garlic bread croutons. The mashed up pork and crunchy bread keeps the dish alive with texture. The distinctive flavour of fennel is very characteristic of an Italian dish of this kind. Fennel can be overwhelming, in this dish it is very subdued.

We enjoyed our pasta with a glass of Valpolicella Ripasso wine from Waitrose (£10.44) a strong flavour with ripe red berry undertones and vegetable.

Ingedients

• 175g pasta
• 125g Pork sausages, skins removed
• 1 teaspoon fennel seeds, crushed
• 1 medium onion, finely diced
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed or grated
• 75g Pecorino Romano cheese
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 crusty rolls or 75g crusty bread cut into 1cm dice
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 60g baby spinach leaves
• 50g sun dried tomatoes, chopped
• 175ml dry Italian red wine

Method

1. Boil your pasta according to packet instructions.
2. Sauté the sausage meat for 6 minutes until brown.
3. Whilst the sausage meat cooks, heat olive oil in another pan, add 1/3 of the garlic with the cubes of bread and oregano. Fry the bread until you have golden coloured croutons.
4. Once the meat has browned, remove from the pan into a large bowl
5. Add the onions and 2/3 of the garlic to the pan and fry gently for 2 to 3 minutes until slightly brown. Add the red wine to the onion to deglaze the pan and simmer for another 2 minutes.
6. Add the onion mixture to the sausage meat.
7. Add the spinach, fennel, sun dried tomatoes, a pinch of salt and a grind of pepper. Stir until the spinach has slightly wilted.
8. Stir the sausage mixture into the pasta with 2 tablespoons of the cooking water to add texture.
9. Serve in a pasta dish and top with the croutons and grated cheese.

Wine Paring

Waitrose Ripasso di Valpolicella Classico Superiore, Fratelli Recchia 2008 Veneto, Italy (£10.44 from Waitrose) A positively dry red with clearly defined red fruits and vegetable notes coming through the mid palate. There is also a dash of spice that held together beautifully with the fennel in the sauce.

Recipe: 3 Way Pork Eastern Dim Sum Hors d’Oeuvres

Take it off (Dim Sum the Lights)

We had a root around the freezer this morning,  and discovered we had some lean pork mince.  Since it’s nearly canapé season we thought we would knock up 3 types of oriental hors d’oeuvres; the Pork and Prawn Thai Patties, Pork Steamed Chinese Dim Sum and Pork and Prawn Japanese Sesame Balls .  They are fun and easy to make.  The patties and balls can be prepared, cooked in advance and frozen.

For the Base Filling:

• 450g Lean pork, minced
• 3oz Mushrooms, finely chopped
• 1 Carrot, small, finely chopped
• 4 Cloves of garlic, finely chopped
• 1.5 inches of ginger, finely chopped

For the patties / dim sum / balls:

• 2oz King prawns, coarsely chopped
• 1 green chilli, finely chopped
• 1 red chilli, finely chopped
• 5 Spring onions, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp of mint, chopped
• 3 tbsp coriander, chopped
• 1 tbsp basil, chopped
• 2cm of fresh lemon grass, finely chopped
• 2 tsp fish sauce
• Zest of ½ lime
• ½ tsp brown sugar
• 1 tsp light sesame oil
• 1 tbsp light soya sauce
• 1 tbsp mirin (sweet rice wine)
• 1 tbsp dark soya sauce
• 1 egg, beaten
• White sesame seeds
• Oil spray

For the dough:

• 4 oz Flour, sifted
• 1 Egg
• 3 tsp of water

For the dip:

• 2tbsp dark soy sauce
• ½ tsp brown sugar
• 1 tsp rice vinegar
• 1 tsp mirin
• 1 tsp chilli

Mix all of the base filling together in a large mixing bowl 

Method for the Pork and Prawn Thai Patties:

Take 1/3 of the base filling add half of the king prawns, 1/3 of the red and green chilli, mint, basil, lemon grass, half the coriander, sugar, lime zest and the fish sauce.

Divide into nine balls of equal size.  Slightly flatten each ball into a patty shape.

Lightly fry using sunflower oil spray until golden brown on both sides.

Method for the Chinese Dim Sum:

Take 1/3 of the base filling add the rest of the coriander, half of the spring onion, sesame oil and soya sauce.

Mix the dough ingredients together to form a ball.

Roll out the dough until very thin and then use a 3inch cutter to create dough circles.  You should be able to create about 12.

Spoon some of the mixture into the centre of the circle.

Brush the edges with water and then use your fingers to pinch the top together to form a dumpling shape.

Steam for 8 minutes. 

Method for the Pork and Prawn Sesame Balls:

Take 1/3 of the base filling and add the remainder of the spring onion, mirin and soya sauce.

Create between 6 and 8 balls

Coat in egg and then roll in sesame seeds

Lightly fry in a hot pan, ensuring they are cooked through 

Soya Chilli Dip

Combine all ingredients 

Serve with the Soya Chilli Dip and Thai sweet chilli dipping sauce.

We would recommend a Moscow Mule or Mojito as an aperitif.  Alternatively, refer to our blog post from yesterday to discover original wine pairing ideas for spicy foods

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Recipe: Sausages and Herby Mash with a Caramelised Red Onion Gravy

Food, Glorious food, Hot Sausage and Mustard

There were two considerations when choosing our recipe today. Firstly, it is British Sausage Week (hurrah!) and we love sausages. Secondly, on Friday it will be Guy Fawkes or Bonfire Night and we thought, what is easier than sausages, mash and gravy if you intend to have a soiree with fireworks. Sausage and mash is a perfect winter warmer. This meal is also easy to prepare in bulk and even on a barbecue if your guests are braving the outdoors.  Bear in mind that the gravy compliments roast beef or pork chops.  It can even be used as a base for a casserole.  Just add your meat of choice and chopped root vegetable.

Onion Gravy Ingredients

• 1 large red onion, sliced thinly
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tsp soft brown sugar
• 1 beef stock cube dissolved in 275ml water
• 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp corn flour
• ¾ tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 clove 

Mash Ingredients

• 350g Maris Piper potatoes, peeled and chopped into 2cm cubes
• 2 tbsp crème fraiche
• 150ml milk
• 40g olive spread or unsalted butter
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh chives
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• Rock salt

For the Onion Gravy

1. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan and add the chopped onions.
2. Add the brown sugar and ensure the onions are coated evenly.
3. Cook for 12 to 15 minutes on a low heat to allow the onions to caramelise.
4. Sprinkle the corn flour over the onions and pour in the beef stock and the Worcestershire sauce. Mix well.
5. Stir in the clove and cinnamon.
6. Leave to simmer on a low heat until the gravy starts to thicken

For the mash

1. Steam or boil the potato for 12 to 15 minutes or until soft.
2. Use a potato masher and mash to an even consistency
3. Stir in chopped herbs, milk, crème fraiche. Add more milk to make it creamier if desired.
4. Add a good grind of salt to taste.

Serve with good quality grilled sausages and wholegrain mustard.  We bought Free Range Gloucestershire Old Spot Breed Pork and Sage sausages, available from the butcher’s counter at Waitrose.

Ooo go on, fork one more sausage. Now didn't your bangers go off with a bang or was that just a firework?

Recipe: Slow Cooked Pork With Root Vegetable Mash

Watching pigs on the wing

The one pot trick is an oldie but nonetheless underrated method of cooking. We are avid crock pot advocates, as preparation is minimal, which is perfect for busy individuals.. The recipe below (care of Heston Blumenthal) is supposed to use pork belly and oven cook, but we have adapted the recipe to use lean pork fillets and our crock pot. The cooking time is a hefty 9 hours, but preparation is a mere 15 minutes. Keith prepared the ingredients the evening before, cooked it overnight and during the day those flavours will have really matured and the meat tenderised. What a great autumnal meal!

 For the Slow Cooked Pork and veg:

• 450g pork steaks
• 3 carrots, peeled and halved lengthways
• 1 parsnip, peeled and halved lengthways
• 1 onion, peeled and halved
• ½ turnip, peeled
• ½ garlic bulb
• 1 litre chicken stock
• ½ bunch sage chopped roughly
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil or rapeseed oil

For the Apple Sauce (Optional, but recommended):

• 2 apples, peeled, cored and chopped into cubes
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• 1 tbsp white sugar
• 4 tbsp water

1. Peel and halve the carrots, turnip, onion and parsnip.
2. Place the pork steaks and veggies in a pan with a whole bulb of garlic with the tougher outer skin peeled off. Pour the stock over and simmer on a medium to low heat for about 5 minutes.
3. Transfer the pork and vegetables into your crock-pot and cook on high for 9 hours.
4. Throw in the sage 30 minutes before the end, being careful not to keep the lid off for longer than needed.
5. Take the pork out of the braising liquid and strain the vegetables, reserving the liquid.
6. Mash the vegetables with a potato masher and keep warm.
7. Pour the braising liquid into a pan and place over a high heat to reduce by half. Season with salt and pepper.
8. To make the apple sauce, mix the apple, sugar, cinnamon and water into a pan. Simmer for 25 minutes, then mash.

Serve with the mashed vegetables and a generous dollop of the apple sauce. Delicious!

Our pictures, I have to admit, do not do the dish justice.  Do give it a go though and for Sunday lunch go the whole hog (ooo belly laugh) and upgrade to the pork belly and oven.