Pork chops in a creamed leek sauce

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This only takes half an hour (including preparation) so it’s quick enough for a weekday evening – but it’s delicious.  No need for acknowledgements this time as this one is all my own – but don’t let that put you off, at least until you’ve tried it.

Pour about a tablespoon of olive oil (I use garlic infused oil for a little extra flavour) into a large frying pan and heat until it is shimmering then place the pork chops in the oil and leave to brown for  8 to 10 minutes.  Turn the chops over and pour in a generous splosh of good quality calvados (I never measure this precisely), turn up the heat and after a few seconds tilt the pan and the calvados should ignite, giving this effect (watch your eyebrows!):

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Shake the pan a little and then let the flames die down of their own accord and pour in about a third of a bottle of white wine – enough to almost, but not quite, cover the chops.  Once the liquid starts to bubble nicely turn the heat down, cover with a lid and then leave to simmer for about ten minutes until the pork is just about cooked through.

Remove the chops to a plate and place in a warm oven.  Add two walnut-sized knobs of butter and, when these have melted add a thinly sliced leek and allow to soften, stirring occasionally.  When the leek is just about cooked pour in a 300ml pot (approx half a pint) of double [heavy] cream.  Turn up the heat and keep stirring.  After a few minutes the creamy sauce will begin to thicken nicely – keep stirring and keep it at just about boiling point but don’t allow it to boil too fiercely.  The cream needs to be really fresh otherwise it will curdle or separate.

It’s ready to serve when the consistency looks like this:

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Serve the chops with the vegetables of your choice and the sauce either poured over the meat, or served next to it – depending on your preference – and sprinkle over some chopped parsley or chives if you want to present it nicely.  I have to say that brussels sprouts go particularly well with this sauce.  I served this with a nice bottle of Gavi (see the wine page), which worked rather well.

Enjoy – and do let me know what you think.

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Steamed Chocolate Pudding

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Steamed chocolate pudding (2)

I do like to do the big Sunday lunch.  It’s almost the only meal of the week where we are all together and the children seem to love it (unless they’re just being polite).  It’s also the only meal of the week where we are likely to have a ‘proper’ pudding.  Usually it’s a fruit crumble of some description with the occasional treacle tart, sticky toffee pudding or spotted dick for a change.  Whatever it is, it’s always homemade because it’s become a matter of pride and honour that no packets are opened in the making of a Sunday lunch in the Seeman household!  This week I decided to try something different.  Something chocolatey.  I flicked through some recipe books and spotted a steamed chocolate pudding that didn’t look too difficult.

Now chocolate puddings can be notoriously dry, but not this one – probably because it has actual melted chocolate in it rather than just cocoa powder.  I must acknowledge that the original recipe came from Green & Black’s (www.greenandblacks.co.uk) – with just a couple of my own modifications.  Here are the details if you want to try it yourself:

Ingredients:

I have to confess that I always use ounces, but I have also given rough equivalents in grams.  Just remember to use either the ounces or the grams for ALL ingredients – don’t mix them.

6oz (150g) of dark chocolate (preferably 70% cocoa solids)

5oz (125g) of unsalted butter

5 oz (125g) caster sugar

7oz (175g) plain flour

10z (25g) of good quality cocoa powder

1 teaspoon of baking powder

2 pinches of cooking salt

2 eggs (I always use medium size free range)

2 tablespoons milk (I used semi-skimmed instead of full-fat and it worked perfectly)

You will also need three bowls (preferably two of them large) and a basin to sit over a pan of water.

Break the chocolate into pieces and put it in a basin sitting over a pan of simmering water, making sure that the basin isn’t touching the water.  You can also melt it in a microwave if you prefer.  Stir occasionally and, once melted, leave to cool until you can comfortably dip the end of your finger in it, but before it becomes solid again.

In one large bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt.

In the other large bowl cream together the butter and sugar until they are as light and fluffy as you can get them (an electric beater or mixer saves a lot of time and effort).

In the small bowl beat together the eggs and milk and then add these to the cooled melted chocolate and stir them together thoroughly.

Now, to the creamed butter and sugar add a little of the flour and cocoa mixture and beat it in thoroughly.  Now add a little of the chocolate and egg mixture and beat that in thoroughly.  Continue adding a little of the two mixtures alternately, beating thoroughly each time until you have incorporated everything into one bowl and it is perfectly mixed.  The mixture will become stiffer as you go, but should still mix easily.

Now take a pudding basin (about 1.5 pints or 1 litre should do) and grease it well with some butter (this makes it a LOT easier to turn out the finished pudding).  Put the pudding mixture into the basin, clearing as much out of the bowl as you possibly can – though it is very sticky.

Cover the top of the basin with a circle of baking parchment.  I then add a second sheet of baking parchment before covering the whole lot with aluminium foil and tying it securely with string just below the rim of the basin – if you can make a string handle too it will make it easier to lift out of the steamer when cooked.

Now steam for two hours (if you don’t have a steamer then stand it on an upturned saucer or shallow bowl in a large saucepan with water that doesn’t quite come up to the bottom of the basin) checking the water level from time to time and topping up with hot water from the kettle as necessary.

After two hours remove the basin from the steamer (this is where the handle is useful), remove the wrappings, place a serving plate face down on top of the basin and then turn the whole lot upside down and carefully remove the basin (a little shake first won’t go amiss) to leave the upturned pudding on the plate.

Delicious served with a good dollop of ice cream and some single cream poured over the top – when it looks like this:

choc pud, ice cream and cream

A glass of madeira goes with it perfectly!