Pork

Takes 40 mins to 1 hour
Makes 6 large burgers

INGREDIENTS:

500g minced pork
2 sage leaves, chopped
1 teaspoon chopped coriander
1 teaspoon chopped thyme
25g unsalted butter
1 tablespoon oil
1 large red onion, finely chopped
1 green chilli, de-seeded and finely chopped
2 garlic cloves
½ teaspoon ground mace
½ teaspoon ground paprika
½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg (ground is fine too)
½ teaspoon ground cumin
90g dark chocolate (min 60% cocoa solids) broken into pieces

 

PREPARATION:

  1. Put the minced pork, sage, coriander, thyme in a bowl.
  2. Heat the butter and oil in a frying pan and sauté the red onion chilli peppers, ginger and garlic until soft, but not browned. Add the spices to the sautéed mixture while it is still hot. Cook together for a few minutes to release the flavor of the spices.
  3. Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl, suspended over a saucepan of barely simmering water. (Or microwave in 30 second bursts).
  4. Add the onion and spice mixture and the melted chocolate to the bowl of pork and mix together well, seasoning with a good dash of salt and pepper.
  5. But in a blender or food processor and mix (but not too long or it will lose all texture).
  6. Shape the mix into 6 burgers and leave to chill the in the fridge overnight.
  7. To cook, heat a little oil in a large frying pan until smoking, add the burgers and sear on each side for 1-2 minutes, or until golden-brown all over. Transfer to a baking tray and cook in the oven for 10-12 minutes, or until the juices run clear when they are pierced in the middle with a skewer and the meat is cooked through.

You will need to start this recipe 1 day ahead.

INGREDIENTS:

1 stick lemongrass, roughly chopped
4cm piece ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
4 garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped
4 coriander roots, chopped
2 tbsp smooth tamarind paste
2 tbsp fish sauce
2 tsp brown sugar
1kg pork fillet, diced into 4cm cubes
4 wooden skewers
1/2 bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
1/2 bunch fresh mint, finely chopped
1/2 bunch fresh coriander, roughly chopped
100g cherry tomatoes, quartered
1/2 red onion, finely sliced
1/2 red capsicum, finely sliced
Juice of 1 lemon
2 tbsp sweet chilli sauce, plus extra to serve
2cm piece ginger, finely grated
1/4 cup granulated peanuts

PREPARATION:

  1. Using either a pestle and mortar or food processor, grind together lemongrass, ginger, garlic and coriander roots.
  2. Add the tamarind, fish sauce and brown sugar and continue mixing until you have a smooth paste.
  3. Pour marinade over pork and cover. Leave to marinade overnight. Soak skewers in water for a few hours or overnight to prevent them burning.
  4. When you are ready to cook, preheat top oven element.
  5. Once pork is ready, thread pieces evenly onto skewers. Cook under a hot grill for 5 minutes either side, or until beginning to char. Alternatively, you can cook these on the BBQ.
  6. Serve warm with salad and extra sweet chilli sauce.
  7. For salad, combine parsley, mint, coriander, tomatoes, red onion and capsicum in a bowl. Whisk together lemon juice, sweet chilli and ginger and pour over salad.
  8. Transfer to a plate and scatter with peanuts.