Simple Warming Pork with Prunes

London is officially heading into winter.  The nights draw in earlier, it gets light earlier and there is a peculiar cold wind which cuts right through your coat to leave you shivering – ugh.

However, as usual (and I’m sure that the psychologists might have something to say) I decided to cure it with something nice to eat that was simple and season appropriate.

So here is my recipe for Pork with Prunes (much more exciting that it sounds, promise)

•          500g pork cut into cubes (you can use shoulder or I've used fillet and adjusted the cooking time)
•          1 large white onion – diced
•          1tbsp white flour
•          2 large glasses of red wine (ideally something fruity like a shiraz)
•          300ml vegetable stock
•          Cooking Oil
•          10g Butter
•          200g Prunes (about 20) - chopped 
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1. Brown the pork in a pot with a little oil.  You want it cooked on the outside but still relatively pink in the middle.

 
2. Remove the pork from the pot and add the butter as well as the onion.  Cook until soft and slightly glossy.
 
3. Add the white flour (I used gluten free and it was fine) and then the pork. Stirring everything together.
 
4.  Add the red wine and enough of the stock to the pot to cover the pork.  Bring the pot up to the boil and then simmer for about 45 minutes on a medium heat
 
5.  Now, some people suggest adding in the prunes at the end as they prefer them to retain their texture and shape.  I on the other hand like the sticky sauce it creates so add the prunes in about 10 minutes into the cooking.

 

6. After 45 minutes, if you are using something like fillet then you stew should be done but if you are using shoulder you are likely to need another 30 minutes or so.  Taste as you go along to see.

All in all – a simple tasty meal that you can pop on and forget as you unwind with a glass of wine in a nice bubble bath.

Lx

Don’t forget to follow me on twitter @littleofwhatyou

Sprouting Broccoli Pasta - Good Diet Food

I hate diets and due to the fact that I am a little clumsy and busty, exercise isn't quite my favourite activity ever.  Let’s just say, jogging holds more challenges for me than some of my friends.  So, as I face another Christmas trying to find something flattering that doesn't resemble a hijab, I have joined nutracheck and am now on a calorie controlled diet.

So, I decided to try sprouting broccoli pasta –low calorie and apparently tasty. 

·         200g sprouting broccoli with stems removed and finely chopped

·         One large onion finely chopped

·         4 anchovy fillets

·         5ml sunflower oil

·         Chilli flakes

·         Garlic flakes

·         One lemon

·         100g pasta

·         Pepper

·         Salt

1. To save on pots, you cook the broccoli with the pasta.  So, pop the pasta in and about 5 minutes before it is al dente add the broccoli
2. At the same time chop the onion and fry lightly in sunflower oil
3. Add chilli and garlic flakes to taste.  If you have fresh garlic or chilli, you can add this instead but I had these to hand.
4. Once the onion has started to colour, add the anchovy fillets and stir until they have almost dissolved.
5. Drain the pasta broccoli mix when it is al denta and mix the onion mixture into the pasta.
6. Season with pepper, salt and lemon juice to taste
7. Eat smugly as you realise just how few calories it has

Now this is the type of diet food I could get used to

Yum

Lx

Don’t forget to follow me on twitter @littleofwhatyou