Crackling Pork With Mango Salsa

Adapted from- Nigel Slater Crackling Pork with Peach Salsa

Ingredients

• 1-1.5kg/2¼lb-3lb 5oz pork belly, bones removed, skin intact and scored

For the rub

• 3 garlic cloves
• half a teaspoon dried chilli flakes
• 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
• a tablespoon groundnut oil
• 2 teaspoons salt
• a lightly heaped teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder

For the peach salsa

• 1/2 red onion
• a small red chilli
• 1 peaches
• 4 cherry tomatoes
• a small bunch coriander
• juice of 2 limes
• 3 tablespoons olive oil

Preparation method

1. Put the pork belly in a china or glass dish.
2. For the rub, peel and crush the garlic to a paste, stirring in the soy, dried chilli flakes, groundnut oil, salt and five-spice powder. Spread this paste over the skin and underside of the pork belly. Leave it to marinate for a good 4 hours, if not overnight.
3. When the pork has marinated, preheat the oven at 220C/425F/Gas 8. Place the pork in a roasting tin then cook, skin-side up, for about 20 minutes. Lower the heat to 200C/400F/Gas 6 and continue cooking for a further 40-50 minutes, or until the skin is dark and crisp. Leave for 10 minutes to rest, then carve.
4. Meanwhile, to make the mango salsa, trim and finely chop the spring onions, finely chop the chilli, peel, stone and chop the mango and halve the tomatoes. Mix gently then dress with the lime juice and the olive oil.
5. Serve the ribs with the mango salsa on the side.

Adeola x

Mango Meringue Pie

Adapted from BBC Recipe- Lemon Meringue Pie

Warning: It is Incredibly SWEET!

For the sweet shortcrust pastry

• 225g/8oz plain white flour
• pinch salt
• 110g/4oz cold unsalted butter, cubed
• 2 tsp caster sugar
• 1 medium free-range egg yolk

For the Mango curd- (From Meanderings through my cookbook)

• 1 large or 2 small mangoes, peeled, pitted & chopped
• 115g/4ozs sugar
• Juice of 1 lime (extra lime if solids not sieved)
• Pinch of salt (or leave this out and use salted butter)
• 4 large egg yolks (or 2 whole eggs)
• 30g/2ozs unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

For the meringue-

• 6 medium free-range egg whites
• 300g/10½oz caster sugar

Method-

1. Sift the flour and salt into a mixing bowl.
2. Add the butter to the flour and then rub between your fingertips until a fine breadcrumb consistency is achieved.
3. Add the sugar to the flour and butter. Using your hands, mix to a firm dough with the egg yolk and a splash of cold water.
4. Wrap the dough in cling film and allow to rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before using.
5. Preheat the oven to 190C/375F/Gas 5 and grease a 22cm/9in fluted loose-bottomed tin. Place the tin onto a baking tray.
6. Roll out the pastry until it’s big enough to generously fit the tin, leaving excess pastry falling over the sides of the tin onto the baking tray underneath the tin – don’t trim at this stage.
7. Line the pastry with greaseproof paper and fill with baking beans (I had no Baking beans so I used kidney beans). Now trim the excess pastry using a sharp knife. Bake the pastry case blind for about 15-20 minutes or until the pastry is pale golden and dried out – remove the paper and beans for the last five minutes. Lower the oven heat to 150C/300F/Gas 2.
8. For the Mango Curd, Remove the large stone from the mango, cut into small pieces and purée, preferably in a food processor.
9. Combine with the sugar, lime juice and salt (if using). Add egg yolks or lightly beaten whole eggs. Purée for a little longer to thoroughly combine.
10. Push through a sieve into a large metal bowl with a large spatula or wooden spoon, pressing down well to obtain as much puree as possible. Discard the solids that remain in sieve.
11. Place the metal bowl over saucepan of simmering water (but do not allow the base of bowl to come into contact with the water). Add the butter and continue to simmer the mixture gently, stirring regularly, until it has thickened enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon. Beat the curd until it is creamy.
12. For the meringue, whisk the egg whites in a large bowl with an electric whisk until they form stiff peaks. Whisk in the caster sugar, a spoonful at a time, whisking well and at a high speed between each addition. (If Piping) Transfer the meringue into a piping bag (with a plain nozzle) and pipe the meringue on top of the lemon curd.
13. Bake for about 35-45 minutes until the meringue is crisp on the outside and soft and marshmallow-like underneath.
14. Serve warm or cold in slices.

Adeola x

Grand Design Live Birmingham:Food

Last Saturday I went to Grand Design Live with my mum and my little sister. There were a lot of food businesses there and a few that stood out to me were-

The Chocolatier-

Chocolate truffles in exciting flavour combinations. No cream, butter, eggs or gelatine. They had odd flavours such as baked beans. I got to try the Rose and also the Banana and Honey, which both tasted amazing.

It’s So…-

UK’s First 100% Alphonso Mango pulp. It comes in a 200g pouch, containing Natural Pulp of 2 King Alphonso mangoes. It tasted so good and was really smooth. It would be perfect for yogurts and ice-creams.

Holly’s Cupcakes-

Holly’s Cupcakes provide high quality cupcakes suitable for any occasion, from Weddings to Corporate events.

I had the chance to see Simon Rimmer, one of the top chefs in the UK. He is the owner of the award-winning vegetarian restaurant Greens Restaurant and EARLE . He designed the menu for the pop up Grand Restaurant of the event and I managed to catch him there on the day. I didn’t eat at the restaurant, so can’t give my verdict on food but once I get a menu of the dishes he made for the restaurant I will pick out the ones that sound the best.

I also had the chance to see Daniel Galmiche, a Michelin starred chef and owner of the award-winning The Vineyard. He was demonstrating to cook different dishes.

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Caribbean burger with a mango salsa

Ingredients-

• 226g lean ground beef
• 2 Teaspoons Sugar

For jerk seasoning-

2 Teaspoons      Ground thyme
1 Teaspoon        Ground allspice
¼ Teaspoon        Ground cinnamon
1 Teaspoon        Black Pepper
1 Teaspoon        Cayenne pepper
2          Teaspoons       Salt
1/4      Teaspoon         Ground nutmeg

(Any sauce needed can be added)

For Mango salsa-

• 1/4 mango – peeled, seeded and chopped
• 1/4 finely chopped red bell pepper
• 1/4 spring onion, chopped
• A small bunch chopped coriander
• 8 ml lime juice
• 4 ml lemon juice

Directions-

Place meat of choice into a mixing bowl. Combine the dry spices and sugar in a small dish, and then sprinkle evenly over the meat. Add fresh basil or cilantro, lots of salt and pepper to the meat. Mix the meat and spices and form four large patties. Make a divot in the centre of the burger. As the burgers cook, the well will swell up and you’ll end up with a flat surface instead of the dreaded burger bulge. Cook the patties for 3-4 minutes on each side, turning once.

While the burgers cook, make the mango salsa. In a medium bowl, mix mango, red bell pepper, green onion, coriander, lime juice, and lemon juice. Cover, and allow to sit at least 30 minutes before serving. Toast the buns lightly under a hot broiler. Serve and add any sauce necessary.