John Torode’s pork chops and parsnips
John Torode is back in the saddle and back on the road. This time the culinary whizz is exploring England's northern-most county Northumberland, to take in magnificent scenery, and incredible sights, before parking up to make a delicious winter warmer - Torode’s pork chops and parsnips.
Sticky pork chops with honey & mead parsnips
Ingredients
For the Sticky Pork Chops
50ml Vegetable oil
10g or 2tsps Maldon sea salt flakes
Heaped ¼ tsp yellow mustard seeds
½ tsp fennel seeds
1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
4 Large pork chops, bone in
½ tsp Chinese five-spice powder
2 fresh chillies, chopped
½ tsp black peppercorns
300m Mead
100ml light soy sauce
100g dark brown muscovado sugar
For the Honey parsnips
Serves 6
900g parsnips
2 tbsp Oil
50g (2 oz) Butter)
2 tbsp clear honey
Method
For the Sticky Pork Chops
1. Take the pork chops and score the skin with a sharp knife.
2. Rub with the vegetable oil and salt well.
3. Heat a pan and cook the pork chops until browned, this will take a couple of minutes each side, and then cook for another few minutes until firm, take from the pan and leave to one side.
4. Keep all the juice in the pan and add the ginger and the seeds and cook for a minute, add the mead and bring to the boil, add the rest of the ingredients.
5. Place the chops back in but turn off the heat, turn the meat a few times so they go sticky all over.
For the Honey parsnipsPre-heat oven to 220 ºC / 425 ºF / Gas 7.
1. Peel the parsnips and remove the tops and the very end, taking a sharp knife cut the parsnip lengthwise down the centre, if very large cut into quarters
2. Cut out any woody centres of the parsnips. Pre-heat a roasting tray on top of the stove and add the oil and butter. Fry the parsnips until golden brown on all sides. Roast them in the pre-heated oven for 20 minutes, turning occasionally.
3. Pour the honey over the parsnips and carefully turn them, making sure they have all been covered. Put them back in the oven for about 5 minutes. The parsnips will now be tender and sweet.
4. Put them in a large serving dish and spoon some of the honey glaze from the pan over the top to finish.
5. Serve the pork chops with the honeyed parsnips and Sauerkraut or Kimchi