These pork cutlets offer great value and we are all looking for the best value we can get in January. This is a very tasty recipe with the herbs and the apple. Apple just goes so well with pork. These pork chops are roasted until they’re beautifully golden but still tender and moist.

Remember to keep this recipe for the summer too. These cutlets would be delicious done on the barbecue or under the grill.

There is nothing more traditional than bacon and cabbage with parsley sauce. It is one of those meals that I love to go back to again and again. This is a tried-and-tested recipe. Choose a joint with a nice covering of fat for the best flavour.

If your bacon is very salty, there will be a white froth on top of the water. In this case, it’s better to discard the water and start again. It can be necessary to change the water several times, depending on how salty the bacon is.

Any leftovers are delicious reheated – simply arrange in a roasting tin with a splash of water and cover with foil, then pop into a preheated oven at 180°C (350°F/gas mark 4) for 10 to 15 minutes, until warmed through.

Remember, Home Chef with Neven Maguire is on RTÉ 1 on Wednesdays at 7:30pm.

Happy cooking.

Pork Cutlets with Roasted Apple

Serves 4

1 small orange

1 tbsp rapeseed oil

1 tsp prepared English mustard

1 tsp chopped fresh rosemary

4 loin pork chops (on the bone)

1 eating apple

1 tsp fresh oregano leaves

50g (2oz) butter, melted

Sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper

Jacket potatoes, to serve

Steamed greens, to serve

1. Finely grate the rind from the orange into a bowl and then squeeze in the juice. Whisk in the oil, mustard and rosemary. Season to taste and pour into a shallow non-metallic dish. Using a small, sharp knife, score the fat and rind of the pork chops, then add to the marinade, turning to coat.

2. Cover with clingfilm and set aside for at least 10 minutes, or up to 24 hours in the fridge is great, to allow the flavours to penetrate the meat.

3. When you are ready to cook, preheat the oven to 220°C (425°F/gas mark 7). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

4. Shake off the excess marinade from the pork and place the chops on the lined baking sheet.

5. Cut the apple into slices and arrange four slices on each cutlet. Scatter over the oregano and then brush with melted butter. Roast for 20 minutes, until the pork is cooked through and tender and the apple is golden. Remove from the heat and leave to rest for a couple of minutes.

6. To serve, arrange the pork cutlets with roasted apple on warmed serving plates with the jacket potatoes. Have a bowl of steamed greens to hand around separately.

Bacon and Cabbage with Parsley Sauce

Serves 8–10

2.25kg (5lb) pork loin, collar or streaky bacon with rind on (smoked or unsmoked)

1 savoy cabbage or 2 spring cabbages

50g (2oz) butter

Sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper

Steamed turnip with a knob of butter, to serve (optional)

Parsley sauce:

600ml (1 pint) milk

1 fresh thyme sprig

½ onion, sliced

Handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley, leaves finely chopped and stalks reserved

25g (1oz) butter

25g (1oz) plain flour

1. Place the bacon in a large pan and cover with cold water. Slowly bring to the boil and change the water as necessary (see introduction). Cover with a lid and simmer until almost cooked, allowing 20 minutes per 450g (1lb).

2. Meanwhile, trim away the outer leaves of the cabbage. Cut it into quarters and remove the core.

3. Slice the cabbage across the grain into thick shreds. About three to four minutes before the end of the bacon’s cooking time, add the shredded cabbage. Stir, then cover and continue to simmer gently until both the cabbage and bacon are cooked (about 1¾ hours in total).

4. To make the parsley sauce, put the milk in a pan with the thyme, onion and parsley stalks. Bring to a simmer, season to taste and simmer for four to five minutes. Remove from the heat and leave to infuse for 30 minutes, then strain through a sieve.

5. Melt the butter in a clean pan and stir in the flour. Cook for one minute, stirring, and then gradually add the infused milk, whisking to combine. Continue to simmer until the sauce has slightly thickened, then season to taste and stir in the chopped parsley leaves. If not using immediately, remove from the heat and set aside until needed.

6. Remove the bacon from the pan and cut off the rind if you wish. Strain the cabbage and discard the water (or if it’s not too salty, keep it for soup). Add the butter to the cabbage and season with pepper.

7. To serve, carve the bacon into slices and arrange on warmed serving plates with the buttered cabbage and drizzle over a little of the parsley sauce. Put the rest of the parsley sauce into a warmed gravy boat and serve at the table so everyone can help themselves.

8. Have a separate warmed serving dish of steamed turnip with a knob of butter melting in it.