The idea for them was stolen from dinner at an Iberian restaurant that I took the Baconator to for her birthday. I liked the potatoes, so I tried it at home and I think got them right.
The pork is another little interesting trick I like. Which is Jam. Jam is a great little ingredient that I like to use sparingly from time to time as the sweetness and the flavour of the fruit always stands out.
Anyway I'm being boring... TO THE RECIPE!!!!
Shit you need: (serves 2)
2 Pork loin steaks
Herbs de provence
Salt & Pepper
New Potatoes
Vegetable/pork/chicken stock (half a pint=half a cube)
optional extras:
Flageolet/Cannelini/Haricot Beans (Recommended)
Fine Green beans
White wine (for cooking, but its also pretty good for drinking I've heard)
Method:
Slice new potatoes about 2cm thick. These must be new potatoes I cannot stress that enough. White potatoes, Maris Pipers or whatever else you might try to use will be be way too floury and will come apart and disintegrate into shit. If you try to act like a cheap smart-arse and ignore this I will sleep with your mother and never call her. So don't. You cretin.
If you've gone with the green beans chop these up too. Again chop into sections about 2cm long.
Place the potatoes across the bottom of a flat bottomed frying pan, not a wok and not a saucepan. Pour in the stock (I tend to go with vegetable stock for this. Pork is nice but maybe a bit too salty, chicken is alright) so it just covers the potatoes, cover with a lid and turn on the heat. Leave the lid on for about 5 minutes.
Season the pork steaks with a little salt & pepper and whatever herbs you fancy. I've listed herbs de provence as the herbs in that mix are mostly ideal. Herb mixes are also often a good way of saving money & kitchen space as you're basically getting 3 or 4 herbs for one.
Take the lid off the potatoes and season them as well. Oregano, Marjoram, Rosemary & Thyme work well. But really, just go with whatever you put on the pork because you like that...don't you...yeah...?
After about 10 minutes you might want to turn the heat down a tad if too much of the liquid has already boiled off and they're still very firm. Once the potatoes begin to soften add the beans (if you're using them). I went with Flageolet because they keep their firmness but are a little floury. Also cos I like saying Flageolet. Flageolet. Anyway...
When the stock has really started to reduce down and the potatoes are nearly cooked heat up some olive oil in another frying pan over a relatively high heat. Chuck in the pork steaks and give them about a minute on each side. Now for the jam. For this I used a homemade apple and chilli jelly which is perfect for pork and made by my folks back in the shire. I have a feeling an apricot or victoria plum jelly would work quite well too. Whatever the case it needs to be light (no blackcurrants etc) and a jelly (no bits).
Spread about a teaspoon over each steak to glaze it. Turn it quickly to get it to cover both sides. You'll then need to unstick the pan. You can use water if you're a boring pussy (makes sure the pans really hot and chuck a splash in). Alternatively a splash of white wine will do the job a lot better and, if the pan is hot enough and you have a gas hob, you can give it a little flame which will have the added bonus of caramelising the sugar giving the steaks a nice tasty colour.
mmmmm brown.
By this point the stock should have reduced off, the potatoes and beans should be cooked. They might begin to stick to the bottom of the pan a bit so you might need a spatula to unstick a few of them. But really you should have been keeping an eye on them. Dickhead.
Serve it up. As you can see from the pictures I did it with cabbage and broccoli. Cos I had some in the fridge and it needed using. With the potatoes, beans etc it's probably filling enough that you don't need anything extra. Fatty. Try a salad.
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