Slow Roasted Asian Spiced Pork

Thank God for the breeders of good pigs! When experts who really know what they are doing produce livestock by rearing animals in humane and excellent conditions, you get meat which tastes amazing. 

The ensuing meal was succulent and full of flavour; I did very little, introduced some exotic spices and a long, slow roast.  It was that  easy......

This recipe feeds 8 comfortably

• 3kilo boned and rolled shoulder of fabulous pork
• 6 cloves garlic
• Some ginger
• 2 red chili
• 2 star anise
• Cinamon stick
• 2 tsp Chinese 5 spice powder
• 2 tBsp Shoyu 
• Juice of 2 lemons
• Some coriander leaves

Method.

Mix all the spices together and marinade the joint preferably overnight.

1. Preheat the oven to 220C.
   
2. Place the marinaded joint in oven for 30 minutes
3. Turn down to 140C for 4 - 5 hours.  
4. Allow to rest covered with foil.
5. To make a sauce, pour off the fat and add some Chinese cooking wine to the pan and bring to the boil, adjust the seasoning with shoyu and some honey and finish with coriander.
6. The meat will be falling apart very easily, you should be able to carve with a fork.
7. Serve with rice or noodles and  some stir fried veg.

Slow Cooked Spicy Squid Casserole

Slow cooked spicy squid casserole

I had to cook for a large group this week end and got one of my old favourites out the bag. This is a guaranteed crowd pleaser,  a good chance you will even entice those who don't like squid. The slow, low cooking gives a soft, melt in the mouth texture.  Serve with plain boiled rice, or crushed new potatoes and a zinging palate cleansing salad. 

The recipe is a guide, as it is one of those dishes that's better improvised each time.

Serves 4

• 1kg squid, cleaned and sliced
• 1 large onion
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 hot red chili (you can use dried flakes)
• 1 stick of lemongrass sliced (optional)
• 1 tin of plumb tomatoes
• 1 lime or lemon
• Handful of coriander
• Olive oil and seasoning

Simply

1. Fry the onion off in some olive oil until soft.
2. Add the garlic, chili, and lemongrass and stir for a minute
3. Up the heat and stir fry the squid for a minute
4. Add the tin of tomatoes and break up the tomatoes as they cook out
5. Season and add lime or lemon juice
6. Simmer for at least an hour on a really low heat, or in a low oven
7. When it's soft and tender, check seasoning and add the coriander.