06 October 2013

Sticky Black Pepper Pork



This week see the beginning of a new 6 month culinary journey with a new chef over at I Heart Cooking Clubs.  Our inspiration for the next 6 months will come from Donna Hay.  Donna Hay & I go way back; back to my first job here in New Zealand (13 years ago yesterday!) when I worked in magazine distribution & we launched Donna Hay the magazine. I have read every issue since then, that is quite a few issues over the last 10 years or so.  I was also lucky enough to meet her a few times before moving on to my next role.  I’ll always remember that first meeting at her test kitchen in Sydney where we ate a quince tart. That started me on a love affair & eventually successful search for quince here in New Zealand . And yes it was delicious, I even recreated it quite some time ago here on Toast.  Thankfully quince now make a regular appearance at veggie shops & farmers markets.


I have always loved the simplicity & the way Donna show’s how easy it is to get tasty, fresh & exciting food on the table fast.  Her  recipes are also great basics that you can adapt & tweak to suit yourself., which I reckon is the mark of a really good recipe.

The pasta twirl.

I am also a huge fan of her food styling, clean & bright & light, the food always the star, no need for a multitude of props.  And I do love the pasta twirl! So for me her magazine & cookbooks inspire on 2 levels; the food of course but also the photos.  So I am looking forward to revisiting some of my Donna Hay cookbooks & dusting off some of those old magazines, it’s like revisiting an old friend & I am sure we can pick up exactly where we left off.


Sticky Black Pepper Pork, adapted only slightly from an old Donna Hay magazine

*I added a few chilli flakes to the pork & some fresh red chillies & spring onion to the salad for a little heat & extra freshness. Plus a little zest dressing, with rice bran oil, lime & just a splash of soy. 

Serves 4

Ingredients

80ml / 1/3 cup soy sauce
60g / 1/3 cup brown sugar
2 cloves garlic, crushed
Pinch chilli flakes
1 tbsp rice bran oil & a little more for cooking.
1 tsp peppercorn, smashed in a mortar & pestle
450g / 15oz pork fillet (tenderloin)
2 Lebanese cucumbers, thinly sliced
80g / 1 cup bean sprouts
1 red chilli sliced
1 spring onion, sliced
1/2 cup mint leaves
1/2 cup coriander leaves
Salt & pepper
Lime wedges to serve


Directions

Place the soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, rice bran oil & pepper in a medium sized bowl & mix well to combine.  Drizzle a little rice bran oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat.  Add the pork & cook for 4-5 minutes each side until cooked through.  Set the pork aside.

Place the cucumber, bean sprouts, mint & coriander in a bowl, season with a little salt & pepper & toss to combine.

Slice the pork & serve alongside the salad with some lime wedges.



Fast & fresh this is a light & speedy dinner.

For more Donna Hay inspired creations head over here to I Heart Cooking Clubs.


If you like this you might like this Roast Pork & Golden Crispy Potatoes
Two years ago Asian Slaw
Three years ago A Little Chicken

Enjoy!

20 comments:

  1. Great dish to welcome Donna with, Mairi. This kind of dish epitomises Donna Hay food to me - I just love the way she manages to conjure up a fantastic meal out of just a few fresh and flavourful ingredients, and make it look stunning as well. I'm totally envious that you got to sit in the test kitchen with her and eat quince tart - positively green!!

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    1. Thanks Sue, yes one of the things I lover about Donna Hay is the speed! Tasty dinner on the table in 20!

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  2. This looks fabulous Mari--I love all of the flavors in it.
    It's so cool that you got a chance to meet her too. I have all of her magazines and many of her books and like you love them for both the recipes and the food styling. This is going to be a fun 6 months! ;-)

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    1. Thanks Deb, it is definitely going to be a fun 6 months :)

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  3. Killer dish to start out with! I love everything about this dish! I have a feeling we're all going to be eating really well during our time cooking Donna Hay's recipes!

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    1. Thanks Susan :) Another 6 months of eating well for sure & I think a lot of fun too :)

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  4. That is wonderful that you were able to meet Donna Hay and launch her magazine! That certainly makes this a much more personal experience no doubt. I must admit that I am already in love with her easy and simple approach to recipes. This recipe for sticky black pepper pork is definitely something I would love. It looks rather succulent and mouthwatering.

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    1. It was fun Kim & I still get every magazine. And yes easy & simple is so good, just so much inspiration.

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  5. The great flavors of this will work really well with any meat. I have only a few of Donna's magazines but they are gorgeously styled and shot and I always want to make each and every recipe.

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    1. They do Jamie :) And yes I just adore her styling, so wonderfully clean & simple.

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  6. I am truly humbled...I thought I was doing so well to have a dozen of her books and have been cooking her recipes for a few years now, but that is nothing compared to meeting her and launching her magazine, wow! Will look forward to seeing all your entries as we move along, this one looks like a real winner to me! Love your additions to it as well.

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    1. Well helping launch the magazine in NZ - a whole team of people :) And I wish I had more books!!

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  7. Very cool that you have a personal connection to our new IHCC chef! Donna Hay is completely new to me, but I've already appreciate her food styling.

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    1. Hi Michelle, I think you will love her....whether sweet savoury baking or whatever a whole world of new recipes for us to discover!

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  8. Beautiful, Mairi! What a fun 6 months you'll have. I agree with everything you said about Donna Hay - love her recipes and style and she's always inspiring. Can't wait to see what else you make!

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    1. Thanks Hannah, the only problem over the next 6 months will be too many choices :)

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  9. Looks lovely and fresh. I seem to be stuck in a beef and chicken repertoire so might need to break out with the pork again!

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    1. Thanks Lesley, I do the same & then every now & then a little pork fillet will catch my eye, or even better a a roast or pork belly with golden roasted crackling!

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  10. How exciting to have met Donna. Love her recipes and I just 'met' her about two years ago. I have tried and tried to do that pasta twirl. I will keep trying.
    Your dish looks really tasty.

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    1. Thank you! If you get a chance to watch here TV show...she shows you the pasta twirl! :)

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