Pork Stew

I have a big piece of pork shoulder sitting in the freezer and didn't know what to do with it. Hmmm.. since the weather has been cold lately, I think a stew would be perfect to keep us warm and happy. This stew kept us filled for 3 days. A stew with mashed potatoes, pulled pork with taco wraps and creamy pork stew with pasta. Hubby gave thumbs up for all three. Voila!

Ingredients

1 kg of pork shoulder -cut into big chunks (about 1.5 X 1.5 cm) 

2 tbsps of shaoxing wine

1/2 tsp sage

1/2 tsp oregano

1 tbsp light soya sauce

2 tsps of salt

2 tbsps of honey

1 piece of brown sugar

1/2 tsp paprika

3 tbsps of olive oil

2 meat stock cube

few slices of bacon 

100-150 ml of water

2 medium-sized onions - sliced in quarters

2 medium-sized carrots - thinly sliced

Method

1. Blend stock cube and olive oil (like a paste) in a bowl.
2. Add in all other spices. Mix well.
3. Marinate the pork shoulder with all the spices (except water) for 2 hours or overnight.
4. Heat up a frying pan and fry the bacon till crispy. Set aside.
5. Next, brown the meat cubes.
6. Transfer all into a pot.
7. Lay bacon slices at the bottom of the pot and add meat chunks on top.
8. Add in water. Simmer at low for about 1.5 hours.
9. Prepare a baking dish and grease with some butter. 
10. Lay onions and carrots at the bottom.
11. Ladle all the meat chunks on top. 
12. Add stock till meat is half-covered.
13. Cover with aluminium foil.
14. Bake at 200 degrees for 1.5-2 hours.
15. Turn the meat around during halfway to ensure even browning.
16. Serve with mashed potatoes, rice or any main dish of your choice.

Lip-smacking

Yuummmylicious!

Baked Honey Ribs with Mashed Potatoes

A simple dinner for my little boy's birthday celebration. He loves mashed potatoes and tender ribs. My fussy princess was also chomping down those yummy ribs. My, oh my.. I'm so pleased. :) Our dessert for the day is Oreo ice-cream birthday cake.  Yippeee!

Ingredients

Honey Ribs

700g pork ribs

5 tbsps honey

5 tbsps soya sauce

2 tsps salt

Mashed Potatoes

10 medium-sized potatoes

Slabs of butter 

Milk

Salt to taste

Vegetables of your choice

Method

1. Marinate the ribs with honey, soy sauce and salt for at least 4 hours or overnight.
2. Bake the ribs at preheated oven (200 deg) for 40mins. Do check after 30mins if they brown too fast. 
3. In the meanwhile, boil potatoes and mash them with butter and milk (to taste) till smooth and combined. Season with a little salt to taste.
4. Blanch your choice of vegetables.
5. Serve warm.

Juicy + Yummy

Dessert of the day

p.s. The marshmallows are only for decoration purposes. Somehow, none of us in the family likes them. Do you like it? 

Shepherd's Pie

Hmmm...shepherd's pie... a lovely dish for cooler days. I like the combination of mashed potatoes and stew in a dish. Fulfilling and yummy. That's the key.

Ingredients

10 medium potatoes-boiled and mashed, seasoned with salt, butter n milk to taste

300g minced beef

1 medium carrot-in mini cubes

1 medium onion- in mini cubes

2 cloves garlic-minced

2 'sticks' of celery-in mini cubes

1 piece of beef stock cube

salt and pepper to taste

few pinches of oregano, rosemary and thyme

Method

1. Heat up a frying pan with some oil.
2. Fry garlic till fragrant. 
3. Add in onions and fry till soft and translucent.
4. Add in minced beef and fry till cooked.
5. Add in carrots and celery and fry till cooked. 
6. Season with salt, pepper and beef stock cube and simmer for another 5 mins.
7. Ladle all into a baking dish and top up with mashed potatoes.
8. Bake in a preheated oven at 200 degs for about 20mins or till golden brown.
9. Serve on its own or with some bread.

Golden brown

Yum yum

Pork Stew with Mashed Potatoes

Apples from the garden

Pork Stew

What can I do with some apples from the garden? A stew, a pie or some jam? Combined with some pork, dried apricots, these apples could find their place in the same pot. They are like Granny Smith's-sourish which my kids find them fanciful in their mouths. My little hurricanes munch on them very much whenever they are at play in the garden. 
Oh! And btw, my little missy refused to eat her dinner today. Hmmmm...


Ingredients
400g pork tenderloin (cubed) and marinated with a few pinches of salt and white/black pepper
100g dried apricots  
50g of raisins or plums
4 medium sized Granny Smith apples-cored and cut into desired shapes (Mine was cubed and wedged)
2 bay leaves
2.5 dl water
2.5 dl cream
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp Lea & Perrins Worchestershire sauce
1 tbsp soya sauce
1 tbsp dark soya sauce

Optional

1 medium-sized onion-cut into rings
* Fry onion with butter and season with a pinch of salt and 3 tbsp of sugar. Fry them till soft and brownish.

Method

1. Fry the cubed pork in some butter till browned.
2. Put them into the pot. Add water, dried apricots, raisins/plums, bay leaves, apple cider vinegar, Worchestershire sauce and soya sauce. Boil at medium heat for about 30 mins or till tender. 
3. Add in cream, apples and dark soya sauce. Simmer for another 5 mins at low heat.
4. Switch off heat and let it rest for 5 mins.
5. Serve warm with your choice of main dish. 

You can use any main dish and extra side dishes to complement your meal. I have made with couscous, bulgur, rice, green peas, a green salad and etc. The combination is endless!