Ingredients

• 3-5 lb pork loin, boneless
• 1/2 cup dried prunes
• 1 T french herbs
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 T tomato paste
• 2 oz white wine
• 1 cup beef stock
• 2 T cornstarch
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed

Steps

1. Preheat oven to 375F.
2. Carve a tunnel through the centre of the loin and fill with dried prunes.
3. Rub the pork loin with the herbs and pepper.
4. Place in a roasting pan and roast for 1-1/2 hours or until the internal temperature reaches 165F.
5. Remove the roast to a plate and pour the excess fat out of the pan.
6. Place the pan on the stove over a low heat.
7. Add the tomato puree, white wine, garlic and stock. Simmer for 30 minutes to reduce to half. Thicken with cornstarch if a thicker sauce is preferred.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 4 T sherry
• 3 T onions, chopped
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 4 T vegetable oil
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 2 pork tenderloin

Steps

1. Mix all the ingredients apart from the pork  in a small bowl.
2. Pour half of the marinade into a shallow dish. Add the tenderloins. Cover and let marinate in the fridge for at least 6 hours, turning once.
3. Pour the other half of the marinade into a saucepan and slowly add 2 T flour. Stir until smooth. Heat to a boil and simmer on high for 2 minutes, stirring often. Set aside.
4. Arrange carrots and onions in the bottom of a slow cooker.
5. Arrange tenderloins over the vegetables.
6. Pour the remaining sauce over the tenderloins.
7. Cook on low for 6-7 hours.

Alternative

• You can also BBQ the tenderloin using the extra marinade as a basting sauce.

I almost always start a roast at 500F to cook the outside quickly, locking in the flavours. Make sure you turn down the heat as soon as the roast goes in. Most meats cook at 325 or 350F. Slower cooking stirs the juices.

Ingredients

• 1kg pork roast
• 3 cloves garlic, cut into thin slices
• 1 T rosemary, chopped fine
• 1 T black pepper
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 cup dried apricots, chopped small
• juice of 1 medium orange
• 1 T orange zest
• 1/2 onion, chipped fine
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 3/4 cup vinegar
• 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
• 1 tsp ground coriander

Steps

1. Preheat oven to 500F.
2. Trim any excess fat from roast. Cut diagonal incisions into surface. Insert strips of garlic into the incisions.
3. Combine spices and salt. Rub into surface of roast, including underneath.
4. Place roast in oven and reduce heat to 350F.  Bake for 1-1/2 hours. 155F on a meat thermometer.
5. In a small saucepan, combine oil, orange, onion, maple syrup, vinegar, ginger, coriander and apricots.
6. Heat to medium and simmer until the mix thickens, about 20 minutes.
7. Serve over slices of pork.

Ingredients

• 1 medium potato, cooked and mashed. Save the water.
• 1/2 cup of the water saved from cooking the potato
• 1/2 tsp thyme
• 1 lb ground pork
• 1 medium onion, minced
• 1/2 tsp sage
• 1/4 tsp mustard
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp cloves
• 1 pie shell

Steps

1. Saute pork, potato water, onion, garlic and seasonings in a large skillet.
2. Bring to boil then reduce heat. Simmer 25 minutes.
3. Remove from heat and stir in the mashed potato. Chill.
4. Preheat oven to 450F.
5. Fill pastry-lined pie pan with the chilled meat.
6. Cover with t layer of pastry. Cut vents in the surface.
7. Bake for 20 minutes or until the crust is golden.

Options

Use beef or a combination of veal and beef instead of the pork.

Ingredients

• 5-7 lb ham
• 2-3 stalks celery
• 2 onions, studded with whole cloves
• 4 whole carrots
• 1 cup molasses
• 8 peppercorns
• 2 T dry mustard
• 1 tsp salt

Steps

1. Remove wrapping and visible fat from ham
2. Place in a large stewing pot and cover with cold water.
3. Slowly bring the water to the boil. If you heat the water too fast, it will force the fat out and the ham will shrink and dry.
4. Add other ingredients.
5. Cover and simmer for 3-4 hours.
6. Cool in stock to serve cold or let stand 20 minutes before serving hot.

You will need a slow cooker, frying pan, and spatula

Ingredients

• 4 small pork chops
• 1 tsp oil
• 1 T soy asuce
• 1/3 cup orange juice
• 3/4 cup beef or vegetable broth
• 8 prunes
• 8 figs
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1/4 tsp cinammon
• 1/2 tsp lemon zest

Steps

1. In a frying pan, brown the chops in the oil on high heat. Remove from pan.
2. Reduce heat to low and add soy sauce and orange juice. Stir.
3. Add the chops back into the sauce and coat both sides.
4. Place chops in bottom of slow cooker. Pour remaining sauce over top.
5. In the frying pan, add the broth, fruit and spices. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
6. Gently, pour fruit mixture and broth over the pork chops in the slow cooker.
7. Cook on low for 7 hours or on high for 3 hours.

Options

There are a number of fruit options that you could try with this basic recipe such as blueberries or cranberries. Or add 1 cup or oriental vegetables.

Ingredients

• 4 pork chops
• 2/3 cup ground almonds
• 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 3 tbsp almond or canola oil
• 2 pears, cored and sliced
• 2 cups shredded red cabbage and/or radicchio
• 1/4 cup chicken broth, white wine or water

Comments

You will need a shallow bowl, a heavy skillet, a cookie tray lined or sprayed to prevent sticking, a wooden spatula and tongs, plus a sharp fruit or paring knife.

Preheat oven to 350° F.

Makes 4 servings.