GLUTEN-FREE WARM ROASTED PORK WITH SPICY CUCUMBER AND PEANUT SALAD
Adapted in a few ways from a recipe by Phillip Searle, the talented Australian chef who introduced his fellow Australians to so many wonderful flavours and dishes*, the Warm Roasted Pork with Spicy Cucumber and Peanut Salad is now a popular meal amongst our friends and family.
We think it’s a useful recipe to add to your list as you can easily mix and match the components. The marinated and roasted pork is great with other vegetable dishes, plus you can eat it warm or cold, and leftovers are wonderful in rice paper rolls. The salad, full of zingy flavours and different textures, is fabulous and could accompany many other dishes such as rice noodles, grilled chicken, a piece of steamed fish, barbequed prawns or eggplant…
Make our Warm Roasted Pork with Spicy Cucumber and Peanut Salad once and we’re fairly sure you’ll make it again - in one delicious form or another.
Caren
*I still dream about his Chequerboard Dessert – star anise or vanilla ice cream with pineapple sorbet in a chequerboard pattern bound by thin lines of liquorice jelly. Not only was it a technical masterpiece, it tasted superb. Ahhh!
WARM ROASTED PORK WITH SPICY CUCUMBER AND PEANUT SALAD
Serves 6 as a main with rice and other vegetables or 6-8 as an entrée.
Start the recipe one day before serving to marinate the pork.
1.2 kg skinless pork neck
600 ml chicken stock
Spicy Cucumber and Peanut Salad, see below
Steamed rice, optional
Pork Marinade
20 gm ginger, shredded
3 garlic gloves, sliced
20 ml sweet chilli sauce
80 ml golden syrup
25 ml gluten-free soy sauce
20 ml fish sauce
10 ml sesame oil
Mix together the marinade ingredients and pour into a non-reactive ovenproof dish that holds the pork snugly. Place pork in the marinade and roll to coat all sides. Cover, set aside in the fridge for at least 8 hours and up to 24 hours. Turn the pork half way through the marinating time. Remove the dish from fridge one hour before roasting.
Preheat oven to 210°C.
Remove pork from the marinade. Add the stock to the marinade. Place an ovenproof rack over the marinade liquid and place the pork on the rack. Place in the middle of the oven. Turn the pork after 30 minutes and spoon over some of the liquid. Check that the marinade in the baking dish doesn’t become too dry or catch at the sides of the dish during the baking process, if so add a little water.
Roast for 1¼ hours. Test the pork by inserting a metal skewer into the thickest part. If the juices are slightly pink or run clear then the pork is done.
Transfer the pork to a plate and rest, loosely covered with foil, in a warm place for at least 30 minutes. Pour the roasting liquid into a jug, skim off the fat and, when ready to serve, reheat in a microwave.
Thinly slice the pork and pour over some of the roasting liquid.
Serve with the salad, and rice if using, and the remaining roasting liquid.
SPICY CUCUMBER AND PEANUT SALAD
Serves 4-6 as a side
Dressing
2 coriander roots and stalks, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons sambal oelek
1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
30 gm sugar, plain or coconut
1 lime, zest and juice
1-2 kaffir lime leaves, finely shredded
2 teaspoons fish sauce
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon peanut oil
In a large bowl, whisk the dressing ingredients until well combined. Set aside in the fridge until required.
Cucumber Salad
2 telegraph cucumbers
4 spring onions, thinly sliced
½ cup coriander leaves
1 tablespoon dill and/or mint, finely chopped
80 gm roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped
1 small chilli, sliced, optional
Peel the cucumbers, or leave the skin on if preferred. Cut cucumbers in half lengthwise and deseed. Slice or chop into pieces and place in a bowl with the dressing. Add the spring onions, coriander, dill and/or mint. Toss with half the peanuts and the dressing. Garnish with remaining peanuts and chilli if using.