planner: for fortnight beginning 30th august 2010

curing salts
This fortnight’s taster is a quantity of curing salts that I confess to having no experience of whatsoever. Ben is the man to speak on this subject, and so he has. Follow his advice in this fortnight's newsletter for a new taste experience with your pork.

ham hock
Ham hock is a simple joint to cook; give it 2-3 hours of the barest simmer in enough water to cover will do the trick. If you want more notes of flavour then add onion, leek, carrot, celery and a few peppercorns to the poaching liquid and once it’s cooked to tender remove and cool sufficiently to be able to handle it. Slice away the rind with a sharp knife and discard, then apply a paste of honey and grain mustard. Bake for 10-15 minutes in a medium/hot oven to glaze then serve warm in baps or make a meal of it by shredding it over the lentil dish I provided on the last newsletter recipe card - click here for greens & black beluga lentils.

sausages
I have become a huge fan of the humble spring onion and use it liberally as a form of seasoning in salads, soups and stir fries. It also makes the most divine champ to flatter your sausages with. Boil potatoes in salted water and, while they’re cooking, finely slice a bunch of spring onions - bulbs and green stems alike - and bring to simmering in sufficient milk to cover them. Mash the boiled potatoes. When the spring onion has poached for about 3 minutes beat it, and the hot milk, into the potatoes together with a generous amount of butter. Season to taste with salt and you have pale green bliss to serve with your bangers.

diced beef
Using coconut milk or creamed coconut in a curry can produce an overly cloying result. Instead steep desiccated coconut in hot water for a good 10 minutes, then strain into a jug ready for use (feeding the soaked coconut to the birds?). Fry off seasoned diced beef in a tablespoon of vegetable oil until browned all over, remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add more oil and fry 3 sliced onions, a couple of finely sliced cloves of garlic and a tablespoon of shredded fresh ginger together with a couple of heaped teaspoons of Madras curry powder. Do this over a low heat to soften for a few minutes, then add the browned beef and enough coconut water to cover, season and bring to the boil. Scoop away any scum and then reduce to a bare simmer, cover and cook for 1½ hours or until the beef is tender. Serve over boiled rice and scatter with chopped coriander leaf and a few fine shreds of fresh red chilli.

After that you deserve a bowl of cool apricot fool. Stone 300g ripe apricots and blend to a purée with a couple of tablespoons of icing sugar, an optional tablespoon of Grand Marnier, and the juice of a small lemon. Now fold in the contents of a large carton of Greek yoghurt, taste and add more icing sugar if needs be, then chill for a couple of hours before serving.

minced beef
Devon downpours have revived a craving for comfort food and minced beef in a cottage pie will please all at such times. Add fresh peas and young carrots to the meat base and sweet potato to the mash and you have a healthy and pleasing family supper.

Sandra Tate