Ingredients
Serves 4Pork chops Baked with Stout and Mustard
1 tbsp olive oil or lard
4 x 2 cm thick pork loin or forequarter chops
4 garlic cloves, crushed
3 tbsp French-style mustard
125 ml (½ cup) stout or other dark beer
2–3 thyme sprigs
Spiced Hot Chocolate
800ml milk
1 small cinnamon stick
1 whole star anise
1 vanilla bean, split lengthways
150g chopped good-quality dark chocolate (70% cocoa)
2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp rice or potato flour
1 tbsp sugar
Method
Pork chops Baked with Stout and Mustard
Preheat the oven to 200°C.
Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over high heat and sear the chops to brown on both sides.
Lay the chops in a roasting tin that fits them snugly in an even layer and season with a good amount of salt and freshly ground black pepper. Rub the garlic over the top.
Whisk together the mustard and stout in a bowl and spoon evenly over the surface of the chops. Using your fingers, rub the thyme leaves off the sprigs over the chops, then toss the sprigs in as well.
Cook the chops in the centre of the oven for about 25–30 minutes, turning them occasionally - you want the sauce to reduce and stick to the chops. If your pan is big or the chops are starting to catch, add a touch of water, and then baste the chops with the juices so they end up well smothered.
Serve hot with any pan juices spooned over the top, some roast spuds, and boiled kale and carrots cooked with a hint of fennel seed.
Spiced Hot Chocolate
Put the milk, cinnamon, star anise and vanilla in a saucepan over high heat and bring nearly to the boil. Turn off the heat and let it stand for 15 minutes, with a lid on, to prevent a skin forming. Strain and reheat in a clean saucepan. Add the chocolate to the pan as the milk comes to a simmer and whisk until it dissolved.
Whisk the cocoa and rice flour with a splash of water or more milk in a bowl, then add 2 tablespoons of the hot milk and whisk to combine.
Whisk the cocoa mixture into the hot milk in the pan, return to the heat and bring nearly to the boil, stirring constantly. Add sugar to taste and serve hot.
From Matthew’s book, Winter on the Farm