Spiced Pork...with Jewelled Couscous...

...This was a bit of old and new mixed together...I'd done the couscous before, or at least a very similar version of it before...but the pork was a whole new taste experience...

...and one that we shared with guests...

I found the recipe whilst sorting through the many many 'torn out of magazine' recipes I have stashed around the place!! (Note to self - work out a sensible storing/filing system for these!)...It came from the December 2006 Issue of Sainsburys Magazine...and had obviously caught my eye a while ago...and with guests coming for the Easter Bank Holiday I figured it was as good a time as any to give it a try out...This is definitely a "plan and make ahead" meal...

The recipe is to feed 12, and as I don't have the rest of the article, I am guessing it was from a hot buffet type of thing...needless to say, as it was only feeding 4 of us I had to nip and tuck the amounts a wee bit! Although as we all like a decent amount of sauce, I kept the sauce amounts as they were...

...Spiced Pork...the Sew Appetising Way...

So for 4 People I used:
*650g Pork - diced (I used leg steaks as they were on special)
*Olive oil - can't give an amount here, just use as little as you can...
*1 large onion - chopped
*400g Chantenay carrots - topped and tailed, and cut in half if larger ones
*2 Tbsp plain flour
*2 tsp ground cumin
*2 tsp ground coriander
*1 tsp ground cinnamon
*1/2 tsp crushed chillies
*1 litre chicken stock
*2 lemons - zest and juice
* 100g bag dried cherries - not the sour ones!

As I said at the start of this post, this is better made in advance - as in the day before, and popped in the fridge overnight...it really does make the flavours so much better!! Oh and I forgot to take as many photos as I usually do...due to guests, DIY going on and the general mayhem that seemed to be ruling the house the day this was made!! So apologies..

The first thing you do is heat the oven Gas 1/140c (a low slow oven). Then heat some oil and fry off batches of diced pork, to seal the meat and brown it...(use a large ovenproof pan or casserole) put them to one side and then pop the onions into the pan and brown for about 4 mins...pop them with the pork and finally, add a wee bit more oil and fry the carrots until starting to go a golden colour...then add everything back into the casserole...add the flour and spices, stir and add the stock, stir, add the lemon juice and zest and the cherries, bring it to the boil, cover and put into the oven for about 1 1/2 hours...(if making and serving on the same day, you will need to cook it for about 2- 2 1/2 hours)

The sauce should have thickened a wee bit, the cherries plumped up and the meat should be starting to fall apart...now you need to cool it and pop it in the fridge until the next day...to serve you need to reheat on the hob really slowly, until it is bubbling...at that point put into an oven Gas 5/190c for about 45mins-1 hour...check it is boiling hot before dishing up...

Serve with some of my Jewelled Couscous...

for 4 people you will need:

*300g couscous

*350ml stock - chicken or veg (your call)

*1 1/2 Tbsp mint jelly

*100g whole almonds - toasted in 30g butter

*1/4 pack fresh mint - chopped

*1/2 pack fresh coriander - chopped

*150g pomegranate seeds

*Juice of 1 orange

...start by toasting (or frying) your almonds in the butter...when golden brown put to one side for later...

...next take your couscous, put it in a large bowl and add to it the boiling hot stock and mint jelly...stir and then cover with cling film for 10 mins...Once the 10 mins is up, uncover and 'fluff' up the couscous with a fork...

...then simply stir in all the other ingredients...including the butter the almonds were cooked in...taste, season if needed (I never need to)...and serve straight away...

Serve the Jewelled Couscous with the Spiced Pork and some steamed green beans...

PS The couscous is great cold the next day with a salad or some grilled chicken!!