Pork Chops with Apple, Sage and Leeks Equipment Ingredients Chopping board Serves 4 Sharp knife 2 medium leeks (approx. 320g) Measuring spoons 3 x 5ml spoons vegetable oil Frying pan Black pepper (optional) Pan stand x 2 6 large sage leaves (use more leaves if they are small) Deep-sided roasting tin Kitchen foil Tongs or spatula 4 pork loin steaks OR chops (approx. 500-600g) Vegetable peeler 2 eating apples Fork x 2 250ml apple juice and 1 x 15ml spoon Measuring jug Oven gloves Small bowl Nutritional information per portion (293g): calories fat saturates sugars salt 368.9 21.0g 30% 6.5g 33% 14.1g 16% 0.2g 3% of an adult’s guideline daily amount LGC270 Copyright © Children’s Food Trust Pork chops are a lean, inexpensive cut of meat. Pork is particularly good with apples and leeks and fresh sage brings out the flavours of the dish. 2 x 5ml spoons cornflour ½ a lemon Spoon Lemon squeezer (optional) Top Tips • Make sure you fry the pork and apple wedges until they go a golden colour. • This recipe uses eating apples because they hold their shape when cooked. Cooking apples like Bramleys will mush down and need a sprinkling of sugar as they are very sour. They will still be delicious, but won’t look as pretty. • Serve with boiled French Beans with Lemon and Sesame Seeds (the recipe for this is available on our website). Look at the Let’s Get Cooking Skills chart to see which skills you have used today. Skills used: 1, 5, 6a, 7a, 7e, 7f, 8a, 9h, 11b, 12e, 12h, 14a, 16. www.letsgetcooking.org.uk This recipe was developed with funding from the Big Lottery Fund Pork Chops with Apple, Sage and Leeks Method 2. Trim, wash and slice the leeks into approx. 1cm rounds. Heat 1 x 5ml spoon of oil in a frying pan on a medium heat and add the leeks. Season with pepper to taste (if using) and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. LGC270 3. Line the roasting tin with foil and spread out the leeks over the bottom. Chop the sage and sprinkle over the leeks. 4. Add another 5ml spoon of oil to the frying pan and increase the heat. Season the pork with pepper and add to the pan two at a time. Fry on each side for 2 minutes and remove onto the leeks in the roasting tin. Repeat with the other two steaks. While these are cooking, peel, core and slice the apples into 1cm wedges. 5. Add the last 5ml spoon of oil to the pan, turn down the heat to low, then add the apples carefully. Using two forks, turn them individually so they don’t break up. They should start to caramelise (not burn!). When each side has browned, place over the pork in the roasting tin. 6. Measure out the apple juice and pour over the pork, leeks and apples. Make a sealed lid with another sheet of foil and place in the oven for 30 minutes. 7. While it is cooking, measure the cornflour into a small bowl and add a further 1 x 5ml spoon of apple juice. Stir out the lumps. 8. After 30 minutes, remove the roasting tin from the oven and take the foil lid off. Be careful as it will be very hot and steamy. Transfer one of the pieces of pork to a plate and cut into the thickest part to check that it is cooked. The meat should not be pink, if it is, replace the foil lid and return it to the oven for another 5–10 minutes and check again. 9. When the pork is ready, remove the meat, leeks and apples to a warm serving dish and cover. Pour the sauce back into the frying pan set over a medium heat. Add the cornflour mix and bring to the boil, stirring until it thickens and all the pork juices from the frying pan have incorporated. Squeeze the juice from the lemon into the sauce and serve with the pork. Prepare now, eat later • Prepare and chop the leeks ahead – they can be stored in the fridge up to 24 hours. • If you have a pork chop leftover, cool it as quickly as possible then cover and store in the fridge for up to 24 hours. Reheat in the microwave until piping hot. Something to try next time • For a creamy sauce, add 1 x 5ml spoon of crème fraîche to the sauce at the end. • If you haven’t got cornflour, dust the pork in plain flour before frying, this will help to thicken the sauce. • If you want to use dried herbs, only use ½ x 5ml spoon. Dried herbs are much stronger than fresh ones. Look at the Let’s Get Cooking Skills chart to see which skills you have used today. www.letsgetcooking.org.uk This recipe was developed with funding from the Big Lottery Fund Skills used: 1, 5, 6, 7e, 8a, 8e, 8h, 9j, 16. Copyright © Children’s Food Trust 1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan gas mark 4.