Chorizo Skillet Supper

This recipe showcases Capellini pasta.    Capellini is not something which I have had a very easy time finding here in the UK actually.

Capellini, or angel hair pasta traditionally cooks in a fraction of the time as regular pastas.  I decided to do an all in one pan dish, with the pasta actually cooking in the sauce.  I thought Capellini would be perfect for this because of it's shorter cooking time.

I used fresh chorizo sausage, which was easily crumbled and gave the sauce a bit of a kick.  Feel free to use the dried version as well.  Both are good.

Some tinned chopped tomatoes, a tin of drained borlotti beans, some frozen peas along with onion, garlic and stock and I had a very delicious entree indeed, and all in one pan.

I like it when I can cut back on the washing up don't you???   All in all it made for a lovely and fairly quick supper.  A scattering of grated cheddar on top and we were good to go.  The pasta worked very well and the whole dish was very tasty and colourful.  A pleaser all round!

*Chorizo Skillet Supper*

Serves 6 to 8

Printable Recipe 

A quick and simple supper that is not only easy to make but quite, quite delicious! 

1/2 pound chorizo sausage, cut into 1/2 inch pieces if it is the dried chorizo, skins removed and crumbled if it is the raw sausage like chorizo

1 TBS olive oil

340g of capellini pasta (12 ounces angel hair) or thin spaghetti, broken in half

1 medium onion, peeled and finely chopped

4 cloves of fresh garlic, peeled and finely chopped (or to taste)

1 (400g) tin of beans (black bean preferred, or your favourite will do) drained and rinsed.  (15 1/2ounces)

1 (400g) tin of chopped tomatoes in juice, undrained (14.5 ounces)

675ml of chicken stock (3 cups)

1 TBS dried oregano

a coffee mug of frozen petit pois

120g of grated strong cheddar cheese (1 cup)

fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste 

Heat a large skillet over medium high heat.  Add the oil.  Heat and then crumble in the chorizo.  Cook for 3 to five minutes, until golden Scoop out and set aside.  Reduce the heat to medium.   Add the pasta and cook in the drippings for 2 to 3 minutes or until the pasta begins to toast.   Remove and set aside with the sausage.  Add the onions and garlic to the drippings.  Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until beginning to soften and very fragrant.  Add the tomatoes, chicken stock and oregano.  Return the  pasta and sausage to the pan.   Stir to combine.  Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover and cook for 8 to ten minutes, until the pasta is cooked and most of the liquid has been absorbed.  Stir in the frozen peas and heat through.   Season to taste.  Sprinkle with the cheese and serve immediately.

Now THAT'S what I call a Baked Potato!

It's no secret.  I love, LOVE potatoes.  Low carb doesn't work for me.  I cannot live without potatoes.  It's as simple as that.  They are my favourite vegetable.   I love them any way I can get them . . . boiled, mashed, steamed, fried . . . but my favourite of all is BAKED!  I just adore baked, or jacket potatoes as they are sometimes called.  In fact my very first meal here in the UK back in 2000 was a jacket potato topped with cheese at a little cafe in Euston station whilst we were waiting to catch our train up here to Chester.  

So as you can imagine I was thrilled when the Bannisters' Farm people asked me if I would like to try some of their frozen potato products.  I am no stranger to the 4 ready baked potatoes packet.  I've been buying them regularly since I first spied them in the shops a couple of years ago.  I just adore them.   You can have one baked and on the table in 6 minutes, which is pretty handy, but if you are like me, you wil love, LOVE them baked in the oven until the skin gets all crispy (the skin is the best part of a baked potato in my opinion).

From their page:

 4 Ready Baked Potatoes

Cross cut and drizzled with extra virgin olive oil

A perfectly baked potato which can be taken out of the freezer and microwaved in a few minutes to give that deliciously traditional baked potato taste.
Our Baked Potatoes are the perfect staple for your freezer – fabulous for a meal for one with some beans, some chilli left over from entertaining friends at the weekend or as an accompaniment to a good old roast chicken and some steamed vegetables to ensure that your family have had a great hearty meal, rich in fibre, low in fat and highly nutritious.

• Traditionally Oven baked
• No nasties added
• Gluten Free
• No added Salt
• Suitable for vegetarians

You can have them on the table in six minutes if you use the microwave and 35 if you use the oven.

 

Fresh out of the oven . . . looking so tasty.  I can't wait to dig my fork in . . . .



Just perfect.  Nice and fluffy inside.   Nice and crisp on the outside.  To me that is the perfect canvas.   One that you can paint on with whatever your little heart desires.    Baked beans . . . cheese . . . baked beans and cheese . . . tuna mayonnaise . . . chili con carne,  curry chicken . . . I can't think of anything savoury that would not go on a baked potato.   Heck, even just sour cream, chopped chives and a bit of salt and pepper is fab . . . add crumbled bacon and I am in heaven!



The other day I had some leftover baked ham and so I used my mom's barbeque sauce recipe, added a tin of pineapple chunks and we had that ladled over the potatoes . . .

 

A bit of grated cheddar and it was just gorgeous . . . fluffy potatoes, crisp skins . . . salty ham . . .



that tangy spicy sauce, with a hint of sweet from the pineapple . . . that gooey rich cheese, melting down into all of that tastiness . . .

What's not to love about that????   (This sauce recipe is one of THE many recipes included in my Recipes to Keep Cookbooklet.  Check it out under the Cookbooklets heading above.)

 

*Mom's Barbeque Sauce*

makes about 3 cups

Printable Recipe    

This is the barbeque sauce my mom has always made.  We always loved it when she would cut up leftover ham into cubes and then bake them in this sauce in the oven.   We would have it with rice and it was really, really good.  You can also add a tin of pineapple chunks, replacing some of the water in the sauce with the juice from the pineapple  That's really good too!  If you do the ham thing, it's really tasty spooned onto a baked potato.  Hot dogs are good in this as well, ,chicke, pork.  It's good with most things! 

225ml tomato ketchup (1 cup)
450ml water (2 cups)
(I used less than that most times, about 1 1/2 cups)
60ml cider vinegar (1/4 cup)
60ml Worcestershire sauce (1/4 cup)
50g of soft light brown sugar
(1/4 cup packed)
(I like a bit more than this.  taste and adjust as desired)
1 tsp celery seed
1/2 tsp mild chili powder
1 tsp salt few drops Tabasco sauce
Mom's notes:  I add some soy sauce, chopped or minced onion, chopped celery and a bit of oregano 

 

Basically you just mix together all of the ingredients and pour them over some spareribs, chicken, ham, or whatever in a casserole with a lid, cover tighty and bake in a slow oven for 2 1/2 to 3 hours.  (160*C/325*F/ gas mark 3)


They also sent me a package of their Littl'uns, same as the bigger ones, except smaller, just right for pint sized appetites.  Only 88 calories a piece, they're great for when you want just a taste of potato and don't want to go whole hog!  Or for those wee ones in the house who aren't quite up to eating a large baked potato.   Just perfect in only 3 minutes in the microwave.



Also included were these tasty Potato Skins, baked and filled with Cheese and Jalapeno

From their page:

Our baked potato skins are best cooked in the oven. But if you can't wait for 20 minutes, then you can use your microwave instead. They'll be a little less crispy, but still equally tasty. These are simply fantastic cooked on your barbeque too, particularly as a starter while your friends wait for the rest to cook! 

I confess I am no stranger to these either.  LLLLLUVERLY.  Not too spicy.  Just right.

To find out more about the Banister's Farm potato products check out their page.

Follow them on Facebook
Check out their tasty recipes. 

The Bannister's Farm potatoe products are available at most of the main supermarkets here in the UK.. 

In all honesty, I feel they are superior to the other frozen ones on offer in the shops.  Seriously.  Two thumbs up from the Rayner Family.  Closest to homemade you can find, in a fraction of the time that it would take to do from scratch.  Many thanks for sending me these to review.

Note - Although I was sent products free of charge to try out, my opinions are honest and my own.

Knorr Gravy Pots, Award Winners!

I got a fabulous hamper  in the post the other day. I love it when that happens.  Nestled inside was .this!!


Everything that anyone could possibly need to cook a delicious Roast Beef Dinner, with fresh carrots, potatoes, parsnips, broccoli, a joint of beef, a lovely porcelain gravy boat and these gravy pots from Knorr!



I have long been familiar with the Knorr stock pots and use them frequently, but I have not had a lot of experience with the gravy pots.  I was interested to learn that Knorr Gravy Pots have wond the Gravy/Stock category in the product of the year awards for 2014!  Exciting news for Knorr!

Launched in 2012, and now available in three flavours . . .  Beef, Chicken and Onion . . . these gravy pots provide a quick and easy accompaniement to any roast dinner.

 

Igor Zago:  (Knorr Professional Chef and mastermind behind Gravy Pots)

"Myself and the team that created this fantastic product are extremely proud of winning this award.  I love the Gravy Pots because they provide an authentic consistent result every time."

I am no stranger to the powdered gravy mixes that are out there.  I have used them from time to time. Their results however can often be mixed, and you end up with either lumps, or little specks of undissolved gravy mix throughout the gravy. I often have to seive it so that it is smooth.  My mother never used gravy mixes.  She always made her own from scratch using the meat juices, and flour and water.  Her gavy was always pretty good and that's basically how I have always done it myself, unless I am in a rush.



Today however, I used the Knorr Pots, well the beef ones anyways and I was pleasantly surprised.   It was dark in colour, compared to my homemade stuff, which I rather liked and the flavour was really nice without being overly salty.  I like that.  I did add some of the juices from cooking my roast to the pot with the gravy pot.  The instructions were easy to follow and the end result was quite tasty.    I give them 10 out of 10 and am not surprised in the least that they have won an award.  I think they should be very proud of this indeed.   Innovative, easy to use, good flavours and perfect results.  You can't ask for more than that.

 

I used my method for cooking the perfect roast beef, which you will find here.  It always ends up with the perfect roast beef.  Seriously.  Trust me on this.

Many thanks to Knorr and the Unilever kitchen people for sending me these to try out.  Although I was sent this lovely hamper for free, any and all opinions are my own.

Knorr Gravy Pots are readily available in most Grocery shops here in the UK, at a very reasonable price.

Roast Stuffed Chicken Crown

  

I picked up a few chicken crowns at the grocery store last week that were on for a really nice price.   They were only £3.  We like chicken in this house.  I think it's probably the one protein we eat the most of.

A chicken crown is like a turkey crown except it's chicken.   The legs are removed and in this case the wings as well.  What you end up with is a nice compact sized roast, with the bone and skin intact, which you can still stuff if you like.

I created a simple bread stuffing for this one I cooked the other day.  It was not a huge amount, just enough to slip between the skin and the meat of the chicken breast, but it helped to keep the chicken really nice and moist.   With the excess amount, I simply grated a small sweet potato and mixed it in and then baked it in a casserole along side of the chicken.  It was really tasty!



I made a tasty bread sauce to have as well.   Bread sauce is a lovely sauce to have with poultry, believe it or not.  It's not something which I had heard of before I moved over here to the UK.  It's really delicious and so easy to make too.



You simply infuse some milk with the flavour of onion, cloves and bay leaf, and then whisk in cream and bread crumbs whilst reheating.  It thickens up nicely and tastes just wonderful!   It's amazing what you can do with just a few simple ingredients.  I was impressed.



We ended up with a delicious dinner with well flavoured and moist chicken, and a beautiful stuffing, a lovely sauce and a fabulous gravy.  We both enjoyed this very much.   I do hope that you will give it a try.  Oh, and that nice lovely crisp skin?   I got that by rubbing a liquid stock pot into the skin prior to roasting it.   DEEEEEE-licious!!

*Roast Stuffed Chicken Crown*

Serves 4

Printable Recipe  

A moist and delicious chicken breast crown roasted with stuffing beneath the skin and served with a tasty bread sauce on the side and gravy.

1 large chicken crown (about 1 1/2 pounds)
For the stuffing:

25g of butter (2 TBS)

75g fresh soft white bread crumbs (1 1/2 cups)

1 medium onion, peeled and finely chopped

1 Knorr liquid herb stock pot

(alternately use 2 TBS chopped fresh parsley, 2 TBS chopped fresh tarragon, 1 egg yolk and salt and pepper to taste)
the finely grated zest of one unwaxed lemon

1 Knorr liquid chicken stock pot

In addition you will need one very small sweet potato, peeled and coarsely grated

For the Bread Sauce:

1 small onion, studded with six whole cloves

1 bay leaf broken

300ml of whole milk (1 1/4 cups)

150ml single cream (2/3 cup, light cream)

115g of fresh white bread crumbs ( 2 cups)

10 g of butter (scant TBS)

For the gravy:

2 tsp plain flour

300ml well flavoured chicken stock (1 1/4 cups)

dash of madiera or sherry

Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6.  Melt the butter in a pan and cook the onion, without colouring, until softened.  Remove from the heat and stir in the stock pot and lemon zest.  Allow to melt and then toss together with the bread crumbs.  (Alternately mix with the chopped herbs, lemon zest.  Allow to cool completely and then mix in the egg yolk, seasoning to taste with some salt and papper.)  Loosen the skin from the chicken crown.   Lightly stuff with some of the stuffing on both sides, keeping the skin intact and recovering it with the skin once stuffed.  Rub the crown all over with the chicken stock pot. Place in a small roasting tin and loosely cover with foil.   Mix the remaining stuffing with the grated sweet potato and put it into a small buttered casserole dish.  Dot with butter and cover with foil.  Put the chicken into the oven and immediately reduce the temperature to 190*C/375*F/ gas mark 5. Roast for one half hour.  Remove the foil and return to the oven along with the casserole with the extra stuffing/sweet potato in it.   Roast for one half hour further, or until the chicken is cooked through.  The skin should be nicely browned and crisped and the stuffing cooked through. 


One half hour before the chicken is done make the bread sauce.  Put the clove studded onion into a small saucepan along with the milk and bay leaf.  Bring just to the boil, then remove from the heat and set aside to infuse for half an hour.   At the end of that time, strain the milk into a clean pan.  Add the cream and bread crumbs.  Bring to the boil, whisking constantly.  Reduce the heat and allow to simmer for five minutes.  Keep warm while you make the gravy.

Remove the chicken to a serving plate and tent with foil to keep warm.  Pour off all but 1 TBS of drippings from the roasting tin.   Place the tin over medium heat and whisk in the flour.  Cook and stir for about a minute, until golden brown.   Gradually whisk in the stock and cook, whisking constantly until the mixture has come to the boil and thickened.  Whisk in the madiera or sherry.   Taste and adjust seasoning as needed with salt and pepper.  Cook for about five minutes on low heat.

To serve, cut the stuffed breast into slices and serve along with some extra stuffing a spoonful of bread sauce and some gravy.  I like to have mashed potatoes and carrots with this.

A Couple of Tasty Pasta Dishes

 

As you all know I occasionally get sent products to try.  I was recently contacted and asked if I would like to try some of  the Garofalo range of gluten free pastas.  New to the UK since last autumn it is made with a combination of corn, quinoa and rice.  I'm not normally a fan of quinoa, but I figured that it wouldn't really matter if it was in a pasta and not served as a grain on it's own.



I was sent a package of Penne Rigate and a package of  Casarecce.  (Don't ask me to pronounce that last one!)  As you can see from the package they looked just like regular pasta.

From their page:

Can a producer of ‘normal pasta’, using a raw material containing the best gluten, produce an excellent gluten free pasta? The answer is in our philosophy and focus on the product: Good taste is a right. 

We set our selves the objectives of creating a product with the knowledge that Garofalo pasta is synonymous with the experience of taste. We knew that the flavour could not be the same due to the different raw materials, but it was of great importance to us to produce a Garofalo pasta that was no better or worse in flavour, just different. It was not to be just for those on a gluten free diet but a new cooking opportunity for everyone. It was equally important to produce a healthy product, which in the end might even be better than normal pasta. 

We have worked extensively on this line, which is not produced in our factory because of the risk of contamination with our pasta containing wheat, and remain in control at all levels from the raw materials to the production methods. The results are a product that is extremely good, especially when compared to the gluten free products currently on the market, but we are confident we can improve it even more. The phrase “it’s good considering it’s gluten-free” is not enough, we believe the pasta can reach the levels of pasta made with durum wheat semolina.  

I decided to cook and present what I was sent in two different ways so that I could see how it performed.  The first was to cook it and make a type of macaroni and cheese with it.  I used the Penne for this as it was the most suitable.



Here it is cooked and draining.  As you can see it looks like any other type of pasta which has been cooked. I had in mind to do a macaroni and cheese type of casserole with this, adding broccoli for extra colour, fiber and taste.    

  

I folded both into a delicious cheese sauce and then poured them into a casserole dish, topped the casserole with more cheese and then baked it until it was golden brown. 



You would be hard pressed to tell this pasta from any other kind of pasta.  It looked completely normal.

  

It tasted completely normal as well, although I did find it to be a bit chewier in consistency, but this is something which could be handled well by simply cooking it for a bit longer, and of course texture is all a matter of taste.   Some people like their pasta a little firmer and on the al dente side.  I do sometimes and I don't at others.  With a mac and cheese type of dish I would have liked it to be a bit softer. 



Other than that there was no discernible different, truly.  This was fabulous.  I thought the pasta tasted nice, just like any other pasta and had I not known it was gluten free I would not have been able to tell.   I gavew it a 10 out of 10 for taste, and performance.  Well done to the Garofalo people.

   

*Broccoli Mac & Cheese*

Serves 4

Printable Recipe  

Better than anything from a box and good for you too!  

3/4 pound of uncooked pasta

1 broccoli crown, stalks peeled and chopped, broken into florets

2 TBS butter

25g of plain flour (1/4 cup)

1 small onion, peeled and minced

450ml of milk (2 cups)

225 ml of chicken stock (1 cup)

1/2 pound of cheddar cheese, grated (2 cups)
salt and pepper to taste

pinch of cayenne pepper  

Topping:

1 TBS butter, melted

4 TBS Parmesan cheese

4 TBS soft white bread crumbs

4 TBS grated cheddar  

 

   

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to the boil.   Tip in the pasta and cook according to package directions, adding the broccoli stalks and florets for the last 3 to 4 minutes.  

While the pasta is cooking make the sauce.   Melt the butter in a medium saucepan.  Add the onion and saute lightly without browning.  Whisk in the flour once the onion is softened.  Cook for a minute, then slowly whisk in the milk and stock.  Cook, whisking constantly over medium high heat until the sauce bubbles and thickens.  Remove from the heat and whisk in the cheese, salt, pepper and cayenne.  Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.  

Preheat the oven to 190*C/375*F/ gas mark 5.  Butter a casserole dish.  Drain the pasta well, rinse and drain again.  Stir the pasta and broccoli into the sauce and pour the mixture into the baking dish.  Mix together the topping ingredients and sprinkle over top evenly.  

Bake in the heated oven for 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown.  Serve hot.   


 

For the Casarecce I decided that I would make a sauce that it could be stirred into.  Something which would cling to all those folds and get into those crevices.

 

A simple sauce of tinned tomatoes, herbs, and pasta sauce, with onions, garlic and two cheeses to make it creamy.  Nicely flavoured. 



A sauce it could just be stirred into and not cooked in.

  

Once again it performed really well.  Other than the fact that once again it was a bit chewier than I normally like, you would not have been able to discern any difference between this and the regular pasta, which again could be easily remedied by cooking the pasta in it's initial cooking for a tiny bit longer, and also is a matter of preference and taste.  It tasted great and the sauce worked well with it. I gave it a ten out of ten as well. 

*Creamy Tomato Skillet Pasta*
Serves 4  

Printable Recipe  

A bit of this and a bit of that combine to make a really quick, easy and delicious pasta dish!  

1 pound of uncooked pasta

1 TBS olive oil

1  onion, peeled and finely minced

1 fat clove of garlic, peeled and minced

1 400g tin of chopped tomatoes in tomato juice (14.5 ounce tin)

1 family sized jar of tomato pasta sauce

2 tsp dried oregano

2 tsp dried basil

1 tsp dried parsley flakes

salt and black pepper to taste

1 (250g) package of cream cheese (8 ounce)

90g of grated Parmesan Cheese, plus more to serve (1/2 cup)  

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to the boil.   Add the pasta and cook according to the package directions.  Drain well and rinse.  Drain again and set aside.  

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet.   Add the onion and saute to soften without browning.  Once softened add the garlic,  Cook for one minute until very fragrant.   Add the tomatoes and bring to the boil.  Cook for a couple minutes, then stir in the pasta sauce, herbs and salt and pepper to taste.  Simmer for about 10 minutes, then whisk in the cheeses and allow them to melt.  Stir in the pasta and heat through.  Serve hot with more Parmesan for sprinkling at the table.   

 


Altogether I was very happy with both pastas.  I don't have a problem with wheat but we have friends with a son who does and it's nice to know that there are more and more products out there that are available for people with a gluten intolerance.

Giving up gluten without compromising flavour or texture is the premise behind the Garofalo lines of pasta products.  With a wide range of types and high attention to production and product performance Italy's most popular pasta makers have come up with a real winner here. 

The Garofalo lines of gluten free pastas are available online via Ocado and Nifeislife.

Many thanks to the people at Garofalo for sending me these pastas to try out!

Christmas Chutney

One thing I like to make each year for the Holidays is my Christmas Chutney.   It's sooooo good and makes a wonderful change from the regular Cranberry Sauce.



It has a tiny bit of a bite, which you can adjust by the amount of chili's you add.  I usually err on the side of caution because we don't really like things that are tooooo hot, but by all means you can adjust it to your own tastes.



I always make enough for us to have here at home (it goes so well with all sorts of meats and cheeses) and I make some to give as gifts to our friends.  I think they would be quite disappointed if I didn't have some for them each year!



There is nothing really out of the ordinary in it.  It's basically just fresh cranberries, chopped onion, sultanas, citrus peel, vinegar, two sugars, and a mix of tasty spices.  It goes together lickety split, and tastes better with each day that passes.



It's great with your Christmas Dinner, and then after Christmas with the leftovers, but where it really shines is on a cheese board.  This is some of that Castello Tickler Cheddar I got last week.  Oh boy did it ever go good with that!  Delicious!  Those crackers are fabulous as well.  I got them at Aldi, from it's line of Gourmet Crackers.  They're really nice!  I'm going to go back and get some more.  (They come in three flavours . . . salted, black pepper and rosemary and are a real steal at only 99p a pack!) 

I hope you will give this chutney a go this year.  I guarantee you won't be disappointed!





 *Christmas Chutney*
Makes 4 cups
Printable Recipe

This lovely chutney makes a wonderful gift and is such a lovely change from the usual cranberry sauce.  It goes beautifully with turkey, ham or chicken.  We just love it.

3 cups fresh cranberries (300g)
1 cup sultanas (150g)
1/2 cup chopped candied peel
1/2 cup chopped peeled onion (1 medium onion, peeled and chopped)
3 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed
1 cup white vinegar (225ml)
1 cup water (225ml)
1 cup white sugar (190g)
1 cup dark brown sugar, packed (200g)
1/4 cup lemon juice (60ml)
2 tsp salt
2 whole cloves
2 tsp celery seed
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp dried chilies

Place the vinegar, water, both sugars, lemon juice and salt into a heavy non-reactive saucepan.  Bring to the boil, stirring to help dissolve the sugar.  Once the sugar has dissolved add the cranberries, sultanas, candied peel, onions, garlic, cloves, celery seed, ginger and chilies.  Simmer gently, stirring often, uncovered for 45 minutes.  Pour into hot sterilized jars and seal.  Process in a hot water bath for 15 minutes.  This will keep for up to a year.  You can, of course, just put it into jars for giving away and immediate use, but if you do want to keep it longer, you really must prodess it in the water bath.  Enjoy!

Honey and Garlic Roasted Pork

 

When I was a very young bride, many moons ago the old Italian mother of a friend of mine taught me about making slits into pork and beef roasts and inserting slivers of garlic to add fabulous flavours to the meat.  It made such a wonderful difference I have been doing it ever since.   And it doesn't take a lot to add a real flavour boost.



Honey is another thing which goes really well with pork, and garlic for that matter.   Pork is naturally kind of a sweet meat, and very rich.  Honey helps to accentuate that richness very well.   Think honey garlic spareribs . . .but there is no soy in this recipe.  Not needed. I use orange juice instead, because you know pork is also a meat that goes very well with fruit . . .



A lot of the flavour comes from the rub mixture of salt, pepper, paprika and thyme.  It's such a simple way to get extra flavour and colour.    The combination of the rub, the sauce . . . heavenly.



A bit of chicken stock in the bottom of the tin helps to keep the meat moist and along with frequent basting ensures that you will have a beautifully flavoured, coloured, succulent and tender roast.   A few slices of this with some of the pan juices spooned over top and you're in heaven.   Fabulous contrast of flavours that marry together in bliss!

*Honey and Garlic Roasted Pork Loin*
Serves 4

Printable Recipe  

It doesn't take a lot of effort to create something tasty.   Honey, orange, garlic, thyme.   It's a winner!

1 2-lb boneless pork loin roast

1 tsp fine sea salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp dried thyme

2 fat cloves of garlic, peeled and slivered

2 TBS orange juice

2 TBS olive oil

60ml of liquid honey (1/4 cup)

125ml of chicken broth (1/2 cup)  

 

Preheat the oven to 190*C/375*F/ gas mark 5.  Mix the salt, pepper, paprika and thyme together.  Set aside.

Take your pork loin and cut deep slits into it at regular intervals from the top.  Push a sliver of garlic down into each.   Rub it all over with the salt mixture.  Place it into a small roasting tin.   Mix together the honey, juice and oil.   Pour this mixture over top of the pork roast.   Pour the broth into the bottom of the pan.   Roast it in the oven for 45 to 60 minutes, basting it frequently.  The juices should run clear.  (145*F/62*C)  Remove the pork from the pan to a heated plate and cover lightly.  Keep warm.   Strain the juices from the pan into a saucepan.  Bring to a boil and reduce until slightly thickened.

Slice the roast to serve with some of the juices spooned over top.