Pork – Page 3 – The Food Wife

Pasta with Italian Sausage

3rd April 20233rd April 2023
by thefoodwife

Serves 2

I saw some amazing looking Italian sausages with fennel and chilli in M&S at the weekend. They were exactly what I needed for this dish. If you canâ€™t find any decent Italian style sausages, use a good quality pork sausage instead and add a teaspoon of fennel seeds to the pan as you cook the meat.

This recipe is easily scaled up, and easy to make gluten-free.

Ingredients:

Olive oil

1 onion, finely diced

2 cloves of garlic finely sliced

2 large good-quality Italian-style sausages (ideally with fennel), taken out of their skins, and broken into small pieces (approx 240g) (gluten-free if required)

60g hard Italian cheese (parmesan, pecorino, Grana pardano) finely grated

1 lemon, zest only

150-200g pasta (gluten-free if required)

Step 1: Over a medium heat add a little olive oil to a frying pan. Cook for a few minutes and then add the garlic and small pieces of the sausage meat. Cook gently for about 10 minutes, until the sausage is cooked through and slightly golden, the onions and garlic are soft and have taken on a little colour but not browned.

Step 2: Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to the packet instructions. Once al dente transfer the pasta to the cooked sausage along with a ladleful of the pasta cooking water. Add the grated cheese and stir until the cheese has emulsified with the pasta water. Add a little more of the water if necessary, until the pasta has a thick glossy coating.

Divide between two plates and serve with some grated lemon zest over the top.

Sausage and Pea Pasta with Fennel and Chilli

7th December 20227th December 2022
by thefoodwife

Serves 2+

A quick weeknight dinner is always a winner. This sauce cooks in the time it takes to cook the pasta and with just a handful of ingredients it couldnâ€™t be easier.

Itâ€™s easy to make this gluten-free, vegetarian and even vegan (make sure you omit the cheese, you could add a spoon of nutritional yeast flakes in its place).

Cook 75g pasta per person, this sauce will serve a minimum of two people but could stretch to four. Increase the quantities of sausage/fennel/chilli/cheese if youâ€™re cooking for more than four.

Ingredients:

Olive oil

6 good quality raw sausages, cut into rounds about 1.5cm thick (gluten-free/vegetarian if required)

1 heaped tsp fennel seeds

Chilli flakes

2-3 handfuls of frozen peas/petit pois

Grated Italian hard cheese (Parmesan/Pecorino Romano/Grana Padano)

75g dried pasta per person (gluten-free if required)

Step 1: Begin by cooking your pasta according to the packet instructions.

Step 2: Meanwhile set a frying pan on a medium high heat and add a little olive oil and the sausage pieces, cook, moving them around the pan until they are coloured nicely and nearly cooked through (6-7 minutes). Next add in the frozen peas along with the fennel seeds and chilli flakes (I added a large pinch of chilli but do this to taste, if you donâ€™t like it spicy, replace with a grind of black pepper). Then after a minute or so add a splash of the pasta cooking water (or even better a splash of white wine) to the pan. Keep everything moving for the next 3 minutes.

Step 3: Add the cooked pasta to the pan of sausage and peas, along with a ladleful of the pasta water. Add in roughly 3 tablespoons of grated cheese and constantly mix so that it all becomes emulsified and glossy. Serve immediately.

Sweet and Sour Tofu

14th February 202214th February 2022
by thefoodwife

Serves 2-3

It was Valentineâ€™s Day 2022 when the Food Husband asked for seconds of tofu. High praise indeed!

Here is a vegan sweet and sour, which uses tofu in place of the more traditional chicken or pork. Baking the tofu with the five spice really makes a difference. My one year old loved eating the baked pieces when I got them out the oven. He got about three pieces in when I started getting worried about whether thereâ€™d be any left for our dinner!

If youâ€™re not fussed about making this vegan then of course you can use chicken or pork. Simply stir fry with the vegetables, but do add a couple of pinches of the five spice still.

N.b. You can of course add pineapple, just add at the same time as the tofu at the end of the cooking.

Ingredients:

500g firm tofu, drained and cut into large pieces (approx 1.5cmx1.5cmx3cm)

Oil

Chinese five spice

1 tbsp Vegetable oil

1/2 tsp Sesame oil

1 white onion, large dice

1 pepper, large dice

1/2 carrot, peeled and cut into thin rounds

1 salad tomato, cut into wedges

1 inch ginger, peeled, grated or finely chopped

250ml apple juice

2 tbsp tomato purÃ©e

2 tbsp soy sauce (gluten-free if required)

2 tbsp cider vinegar

3 tbsp soft brown sugar

1 tbsp cornflour

Step 1: Begin by preheating your oven to 180c (fan). Place the pieces of tofu carefully on a baking tray (allow a little space between each piece). Spritz with a little oil and then use a couple of pinches of Chinese five spice to sprinkle over the tofu. Then carefully flip each piece and repeat. Bake in the oven for an hour, turning half way through.

Step 2: In a large frying pan or a wok, add the vegetable oil and sesame oil over a high heat. Stir fry the onion, pepper, carrot, tomato and ginger for a few minutes.

Step 3: Combine the apple juice,tomato purÃ©e, soy sauce, vinegar, sugar and corn flour in a jug and mix until smooth. Add to the vegetables and cook out for a few minutes until thickened. Check the seasoning.

Step 4: Transfer the cooked tofu to the sweet and sour sauce. Stir through until all coated and glossy. Serve with rice.

Mince with Crispy Chilli Oil

15th December 202115th December 2021
by thefoodwife

Serves 4

This will work with any mince you like, meat or veggie. You are bulking it out with three types of vegetables that are all made to be the same size as the mince, so itâ€™s a great way to smuggle veg into a meal.

The crispy chilli oil is a magical ingredient. Talk about addictive!! Two heaped tablespoons might sound a lot, but I figure youâ€™re not going to be making this if you donâ€™t like chilli, and although itâ€™s spicy, itâ€™s not that spicy really. I also garnish mine with slices of fresh red chilli for a pop of colour and a spike of extra heat.

Ingredients:

1 tsp coconut oil

1 onion, finely diced

1 large carrot, grated

1 pepper, finely diced

300g mince (turkey, pork, beef, chicken, soya, quorn)

1-2 tbsp soy sauce (gluten-free if required)

1 tbsp oyster sauce (leave out if vegetarian/vegan) (gluten-free if required)

2 heaped tbsp crispy chilli oil (gluten-free/vegan/vegetarian if required)

Step 1: In a wok, or large frying pan, melt the coconut oil over a medium-high, then add the diced onion, cook for a few minutes, stirring often, before adding the carrot and pepper. Continue to stir and cook for a couple more minutes, then add the mince.

Step 2: Cook the mince until it is browned and dry (any water should be cooked until evaporated) then add the seasoning of soya sauce, oyster sauce (if using) and crispy chilli oil. Continue to cook for about five-ten minutes, stirring often until everything is coated, glossy and tastes delicious.

Serve with rice or noodles. I also like it with a crunchy cucumber salad dressed with lime juice and salt.

Korean-inspired Pork Belly

20th October 202120th October 2021
by thefoodwife

Serves 2

Well, the Food Husband has declared that this is delicious so it only felt right to share it with you. Gochujang is one of my favourite ingredients and would urge you all to try and get some. The sauce here would work well with tofu or mushrooms too if you arenâ€™t a meat eater.

Roasting the pork belly helps to get it lovely and crispy, and helps remove a little of the fat. The egg works so well with the dish, so do make the effort to include it, you wonâ€™t regret it!

Ingredients:

500g pork belly slices (approx 6 slices)

1 tbsp Vegetable Oil

1/2 tsp Sesame Oil

1 onion, large dice

1 pepper, large dice

1 heaped tbsp gochujang paste (gluten-free if required)

2 tbsp soy sauce (gluten-free if required)

1 tbsp white rice vinegar

1 heaped tbsp soft dark brown sugar

1 tbsp corn flour, made into a slurry with a little cold water

2 eggs

Step 1: Begin by roasting the pork belly slices on a baking sheet, at 180c fan for one hour.

Step 2: Mix the sauce ingredients (gochujang, soy sauce, sugar and vinegar) together in a bowl and leave to one side.

Step 3: Soft boil the eggs (6 minutes in simmering water) and then leave in cold water until they are cool enough to peel.

Step 4: Once the pork is cooked, remove from the oven, you can either keep them in the whole strips or chop into 1 inch pieces. Leave to one side.

Step 5: Heat the two oils together in a wok or frying pan, over a medium high heat. Stir fry the peppers and onions together, and once slightly softened and browned, add the pork, along with the sauce mixture and enough water to just cover the pork and vegetables. Stir then add the cornflour slurry, stir again and cook for a few minutes until thickened. Carefully add the peeled eggs and coat in the sauce.

Serve immediately with rice.