Two pork recipes today, one very simple and the second one requires a bit of work but is well worth the effort. Pork is delicious and good value. Make sure you look out for the Bord Bia Quality Assured mark. These pork chops are great for feeding a family, or on the barbecue now that we are seeing some blue skies. You could serve with a baked potato or rice instead of the mash.

This marinated pork fillet recipe is great for a Sunday lunch or if having people over for dinner. The time you put in will not be wasted. The fillet is lean and tender and really does need to be marinated overnight to achieve the best flavour. This marinade is also great with pork chops or chicken breasts. Lots of Irish producers are making small pots of herbs and basil is a nice one to keep on the kitchen window and use. Keep it moist but don’t over water.

Happy cooking,

Neven

Neven Maguire’s Midweek Meals is out now, published by Gill

Recipes

Sweet soy-roasted pork chops and mushrooms baked in foil

Serves four to six

2 tbsp rapeseed oil

4-6 lean pork chops (preferably saddleback), well trimmed of excess fat

knob of butter

1 red onion, thinly sliced

275g (10oz) chestnut mushrooms, sliced

4 tbsp light soy sauce

1 tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

2 tsp clear honey

1 tsp Dijon mustard

1 garlic clove, crushed

good pinch of chopped fresh rosemary (optional)

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

creamy mashed potatoes to serve (optional)

  • 1 Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F/gas mark 4). Fold a large piece of foil in half and place on a baking sheet.
  • 2 Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a pan and quickly sear the chops on both sides until golden brown. Place side by side on the folded foil.
  • 3 Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in the pan, then add the butter. Once it has stopped foaming, stir in the onion and mushrooms and sauté for a few minutes, until tender. Season to taste, then scatter over the pork chops.
  • 4 Place the soy sauce in a small bowl and mix with the parsley, honey, Dijon mustard, garlic and rosemary, if using, then drizzle over the chops.
  • 5 Seal the edges of the foil together with a double fold, making sure that there will be plenty of room for expansion. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes, until the parcel has puffed up and the pork chops are completely tender inside.
  • 6 To serve, open the parcel at the table for that special effect and serve the pork chops on warmed plates, spooning over all the lovely juices. Add some creamy mashed potatoes to each plate, if liked.

    • Marinated pork fillet with sausage stuffing

    Marinated pork fillet with sausage stuffing. \ Photography: Philip Doyle. Food styling: Janine Kennedy

    Serves four

    1 pork tenderloin (fillet), about 675g (1 ½lb) in total

    freshly ground black pepper

    2 garlic cloves, crushed

    2 tbsp light soy sauce

    2 tbsp rapeseed oil

    1 tbsp light muscovado sugar

    2 tsp freshly grated root ginger

    1 tsp mild curry powder

    good pinch of ground cinnamon

    sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

    buttered noodles with roasted peppers and coriander, to serve

    For the sausage stuffing:

    200g (7oz) good-quality sausage meat

    1 egg

    2 tbsp tomato and chilli relish

    1 tbsp chopped fresh basil, plus sprigs to garnish

    2 tsp snipped fresh chives

    100ml (3 ½fl oz) cream

    2 tbsp toasted pine nuts

  • 1 Trim away any fat and membrane from the pork tenderloin and split it lengthways, without cutting right through. Open it out flat and season generously with pepper. Cover with clingfilm and flatten out the sides using a mallet, rolling pin or the base of a pan, being careful not to put any holes in the meat. Try to keep the shape as rectangular as possible with a thickness of no more than 1cm (½in).
  • 2 To prepare the marinade, place the garlic, soy sauce, oil, sugar, ginger, curry powder and cinnamon in a shallow non-metallic dish that’s large enough to fit the pork tenderloin comfortably.
  • 3 Stir until well combined and then add the pork fillet, turning to coat. Cover with clingfilm and chill for at least 4 hours, or up to 24 hours is great, to allow the flavours to penetrate the meat.
  • 4 To make the stuffing, place the sausage meat in a food processor with the egg, relish, basil and chives. Blend until smooth and then slowly add the cream through the feeder tube. Season generously and then blend again for 2 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and mix in the toasted pine nuts, then cover with clingfilm and chill for at least 1 hour to firm up (or up to the same amount of time as the pork).
  • 5 When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F/gas mark 6).
  • 6 Remove the marinated pork tenderloin from the fridge and place on a large sheet of tin foil.
  • 7 Spoon the sausage meat down the centre of the pork, then using the tin foil, carefully roll the pork tenderloin over the sausage stuffing to enclose. Twist the ends of the foil tightly and place the pork on a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Roast for 50 minutes, turning occasionally, until cooked through and firm to the touch.
  • 8 Remove the pork tenderloin parcel from the oven and leave to rest for 5 minutes, then carefully remove the tin foil. Slice the pork on a chopping board and carve into slices 1cm (½in) thick and arrange on plates on beds of the buttered noodles with roasted peppers and coriander. Garnish with basil to serve.