STIR-FRIED INDONESIAN PORK

We had this for tea tonight and it was really tasty. Just don't do what Pete did and miss read the recipe adding 1/2 tbsp chilli flakes instead of 1/2 tsp, even so it was still very nice.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

500 g lean pork, trimmed and cut into half a thumb size strips
2 tbsps sunflower oil
1 med carrot, cut into thin strips
6 spring onions, cut into 1cm lengths
soy sauce, few shakes of
sugar, few pinches of

FOR THE MARINADE
1 piece fresh ginger, finely grated. Egg sized
1/2 tsp dried chilli flakes
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1/2 sm onion, grated
2 tsps coriander seeds, crushed
2 tbsps dark soy sauce

1 tbsp brown sugar
juice of 1/2 lime

Instructions:

Mix all the ingredients for the marinade together in a large bowl, add the meat and leave in the fridge for at least 2 hours - ideally for 4 or 5 - but not much more or the meat with become too pickled. Lift the meat from the marinade and pat dry, this means it will sear and caramelise much better. Reserve the marinade left in the bowl.

Heat the oil in a wok until very hot. Throw in the meat and sizzle, turning frequently, for a few minutes until nicely browned.

Add the carrots and spring onions and the marinade and stir fry for a couple of minutes. Add the soy sauce and sugar to help glaze the juices into a sauce. Serve at once, with plain boiled rice.

Points per serving without the rice : 4

Not Suitable for freezing

PORK & APRICOT BURGERS

These burgers are gorgeous and low in fat. If you haven't got a burger press then you have to get yourself one from Lakeland they work a treat. You'll never want bought burgers ever again.

Ingredients:

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500 g pork mince
4 spring onions, finely chopped
4 tbsps fresh mint, chopped
2 apricots, firm, roughly chopped
1 egg, beaten
4 burger buns
lettuce leaves

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Instructions:

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Mix together the pork mince, spring onions, 2 tbsps of mint and the apricots.

Season well and bind together with the beaten egg. Divide the mixture into eight, then shape each portion into burgers using a burger press if you have one. Place in the fridge for about 30 minutes to firm up.

Grill the burgers under a moderate heat or barbecue for 8-10 minutes on each side. Serve.

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Points per burger without the bun : 2.5

Suitable for freezing

ITALIAN STYLE PORK CHOPS

This is what we had for tea last night served with pasta. You may have noticed that salt is never listed down as an ingredient in any of my recipes. Due to Pete's conditions we stopped adding salt years ago, to start with everything tasted yacky but we have now got used to being saltless and prefer it that way.

Ingredients:

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4 pork loin chops, R-T-C

1tbsp oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 clove garlic, crushed
1 tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped
1 tsp lemon rind, grated
1/4 tsp crushed dried chillies
1/4 pt vegetable stock
400 g tomatoes, canned
black pepper

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Instructions:

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Trim the excess fat from the chops. Heat the oil in a large frying pan. Arrange the chops in a single layer and cook for 2 minutes on each side, until browned. Transfer them to a plate.

Add the onion to the pan and cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes. Add the garlic to the pan along with the rosemary, lemon rind and crushed chillies. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 1 minute.

Reduce the heat to low. Return chops to the pan. Add the stock and tomatoes. Simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until the chops are no longer pink in the centre and the sauce is slightly thickened.

Remove from the heat. Season. Serve.

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Points per serving = 3

Freezing recommended

BRAISED PORK WITH PRUNES

I will be serving this tonight with pasta but it goes just as well with potatoes.

Ingredients:

1 tbsp olive oil
600 g pork , cut into chunks
1 sm knob of butter
1 onion, sliced
1 tbsp plain flour
2 lg glasses white wine
300 ml chicken stock
140 g prunes, about 12
1 handful fresh parsley, to serve

Instructions:

Heat the olive oil in a flame proof casserole pan and cook the pork, turning occasionally, until it is golden brown all over, about 10 mins. You need plenty of space in the pan, so cook in 2 batches if the meat starts to steam. Remove from the pan to a plate. Tip out any burnt bits, then add the butter and cook the onion for 3-5 mins until softened.

Stir in the flour, then return the pork and juices to the pan. Pour over the wine and enough stock to cover the meat. Bring to the boil, reduce to a simmer, put the lid on and cook for 45 mins, stirring occasionally.

Tip in the prunes, top up with stock or water if the meat isn't covered and cook for 45 minutes more, uncovered, until really tender. Serve sprinkled with parsley.

WW points per serving = 5

Freezing is recommended

If you want to make this have a lower point value do what I do and use low fat spray instead of the olive oil, don't use the butter I just add a little water to help the onions soften. Use only one glass of wine and top up with extra stock. If you do all this it will take the point value down to 4pts per serving.

Any type of cooked pasta is 3 pts for a large portion and 2 pts for a medium portion. (Medium is the equivalent to 2 women's handfuls).

CREAMY MUSHROOM PORK

This is tonight's tea which is going to be served with mashed carrot and swede with a little bit of lurpack lighter in it and some broccoli (o points). As usual I am deviating from the recipe slightly and using Philadelphia extra light with herbs and not putting in the tarragon (it's a bit cheaper this way too). I'm also trying to make only a quarter of the sauce as no one else will eat it so we will see how that goes!

Ingredients:

low fat cooking spray
125 g Chestnut Mushrooms, Sliced
1 garlic clove, crushed
300 ml vegetable stock
100 g low fat soft cheese
1 tbsp chopped tarragon
125 g pork loin steaks, x 4

Instructions:

Lightly coat a saucepan with low-fat cooking spray. When sizzling, add the mushrooms, then cook over a medium heat until the mushroom juices have evaporated, this should take about 7 minutes.

Add garlic and stock, then boil for 3 mins until reduced by about a third. Whisk in the soft cheese and tarragon. Remove from the heat.

Heat the grill to medium, then cook the pork loin steaks for 8-10 minutes turning once, until golden and cooked through. Warm the sauce, then serve spooned over the steaks.

WW points per portion = 3.5

Not suitable for Freezing