Roast Pork Belly with Pak Choi

Ingredients

1kg boneless pork belly, with rind

4 tbsp coarse sea salt

2 tbsp ground roasted Sichuan peppercorns

2 tsp freshly ground white pepper

2 bunches of Pak choi

2 tbsp five-spice powder

3 tbsp caster sugar

1 tbsp sesame oil

1 tbsp light soy sauce

1 tbsp oyster sauce

Preparation

Mix the Chinese five-spice powder, sugar, honey and soy sauce together in a small bowl. 

Rub it into the flesh side of the pork.

Place place the meat on a wire rack set above a roasting tin and allow to dry for eight hours or overnight.

Preheat the oven to 200C. Place the pork on a wire rack, rind side up, over a deep roasting pan filled about one third with water and roast for 20 minutes.Reduce the heat to 180C and continue to roast for two hours. Turn the oven back up to 230C and cook for 15 minutes. Remove the meat from the oven and allow the pork to cool.

Cut a thick slice from the pak choi root to separate the leaves. Rinse and drain.

Heat the groundnut oil in a large wok over a medium heat and add garlic .

Add the pak choi and stir-fry for 1 minute until coated and clamp a pan lid over them.

Mix together the oyster sauce, soy sauce and sesame oil. Pour into the wok and stir until the sauce coats the pak choi.

Serve the pork carved into large cubes with the pak choi.

Spring Lamb Stew

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil
1kg lamb neck and fore shanks
2 garlic cloves
1 onion finely chopped
2 bay leaf
4 sprigs of thyme
1 litre of lamb stock
handful of baby carrots
handful of diced potatoes

Preparation

Heat the olive oil in a large casserole pot and soften the garlic and onion.

Season the meat with salt and pepper, then add to the pot to brown.





Add the bay leaf and thyme.

Add carrots, and potatoes and enough stock reach the same level as the meat.

Bring to a simmer and remove any scum that rises to the top. Once all the scum is removed, cover the pan. Cook for 1½-2 hours, or until the meat is tender.

Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste, and serve straightaway

Apple pie and homemade custard

Ingredients

For the custard

2 medium egg yolks

2 teaspoons of cornflour

25g caster sugar

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

250ml whole milk

250mll double cream

For the Apple pie

Already rolled out puff pastry

2 Cox Apples

2 tablespoons of caster sugar

1 teaspoon of cinnamon

A pinch of nutmeg

1 taablespon of flour

Juice of half a lemon

Preparing the custard

Put the egg yolks in a pyrex bowl with the cornflour and sugar.

Add the vanilla extract, and use a whisk to combine all the ingredients.

Gradually whisk in the milk and cream then place the bowl over a boiling pot of water and cook gently for 6-8 minutes, whisking constantly, until smooth and thick. (Do not allow the custard to boil.)

Preparing the Apple pie

Set aside one-third of the pastry for the lid.

Press the pastry firmly into the ramekin and up the sides, making sure there are no air bubbles. Chill the fridge for a few minutes.

Preheat the oven to 200C.

Thinly slice the apples.

For the filling, mix the sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, lemon juice, salt and flour in a large bowl. Stir in the apples.

Place the apple filling into the ramekin.

Roll out the reserved ball of pastry. Cover the pie with the pastry and press the edges together firmly to seal. Using a sharp knife, trim off the excess pastry, then gently crimp all around the edge.

Make a few small cross shaped hole in the centre of the pie with the tip of a knife.

Sprinkle the pie with sugar and bake in the centre of the oven for 45–55 minutes or golden-brown all over and the apples are tender.

Beef in Oyster Sauce

Ingredients

400g lean stir fry beef

Vegetables of your choice ( I used a red pepper and onions, you can also use carrots, spring onions or mushrooms)

2 tablespoons groundnut oil

2cm of ginger

1 red chilli pepper

3 cloves of garlic

1/2 teaspoon of salt

1/2 teaspoon of cane sugar

2 tablespoons of oyster sauce

2 Tablespoons of cane sugar

1 Tablespoon dark or light soy sauce

2 Tablespoons of sesame oil

Preparation

Marinade the beef in sesame oil, soy sauce, oyster sauce and sugar for a couple of hours. For a bit of a kick you can add dry chilli flakes to the marinade.

Finely chop the chilli, ginger and garlic. Heat the groundnut oil in a wok and add the chilli garlic and ginger.

Add the beef and cook till it turns brown.

Add the vegetables.

Serve hot, with rice or blanched spinach.

Mussels in Black Bean Sauce

Ingredients

1kg fresh mussels

Groundnut oil

5 Cloves of garlic

3cm of ginger

1 Red chilli

1 Jar of black bean sauce (I used sharwood's 195g)

2 Tablespoons of dry sherry (optional)

1 Handful of coriander

Spring onion

Preparation:

Wash the mussels under cool water, remove all beards and discard any open mussels and set the remaining aside.

In a pot big enough to hold all the mussels, heat 4 tablespoons of groundnut oil, add chopped ginger, garlic, chilli and sherry if being used and stir for 1 minute.

The sherry is not necessary, but it takes away the fishy taste and smell.

Add the black bean sauce and stir.

Tip in the mussels and stir till the sauce coats all the mussels.

Cover and allow to cook until mussels open up.

Sprinkle spring onions on top and serve immediately.