The meal for four takes under an hour to make
Pork chops are a treat that can be eaten at any time of the year. These juicy, fatty, flavourful cuts of meat, while tasting amazing, don’t take long at all to make.
Merseyside-born and raised celebrity Michelin starred chef, Marcus Wareing, has shared his take on the dinnertime great with an emphasis on summer ingredients.
And, before you say: “It’s not summer yet,” yes, the summer solstice may be over a week away however, speaking in meteorological terms, the sunny season is here.
Southport‘s Marcus Wareing, a judge on Masterchef: The Professionals, learned his trade on a catering course at Southport College. He went on to work with esteemed chefs such as Albert Roux and Gordon Ramsay before opening his own restaurants, two of which gained a Michelin star each. Now 54, Wareing is a frequent face on television screens.
Wareing’s recipe was originally published on the BBC Food website. It says: “Pork chops, summer style. Marcus Wareing serves his barbecued pork with a quick fennel salad and a vibrant, caramelised orange dressing.”
For this recipe you will need a stick blender. The dish takes less than 30 minutes to prepare and 10 to 30 minutes to cook.
Serving four people, you can use either a barbecue or a frying pan and oven for the chops.
If using an oven, preheat it to 220C/200C Fan/Gas 7. If using a barbecue, allow the flames to die down until the coals are just glowing.
Cut one orange into four thick slices and drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper and grill or bake until charred on both sides. Once caramelised, put the slices onto a baking tray. Season again with a pinch of salt and pepper, then drizzle with more oil and a splash of white wine vinegar. Set aside.
For the dressing, combine 100ml extra virgin olive oil, two tablespoons of white wine vinegar, two tablespoons of wholegrain mustard, one tablespoon of honey and a pinch of salt and pepper in a jug.
Use a stick blender to blitz together. Once the oranges are cool enough to handle, halve each slice and then finely chop. Add a few pieces at a time to the vinaigrette and blitz until fully combined, adding a little more olive oil to loosen if needed.
Season four large pork chops (rind removed) on both sides with salt, pepper and some thyme sprigs. If using a barbecue, place the chops directly onto the grill and flip once one side begins to char and the fat starts to drip through (about four to five minutes on each side). Once cooked, set aside on a tray to rest.
If not using a barbecue, start by bringing the pork chops to room temperature. Heat two tablespoons of vegetable oil in a griddle pan or frying pan set over high heat. When the oil is almost smoking, add the chops and fry them for about three minutes on each side, in batches if necessary.
Place the seared chops on a baking tray and transfer to the oven to cook for six minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to rest for at least five minutes.
Thinly slice one large fennel bulb and reserve the fronds. Put the fennel slices onto a plate or dish. Drizzle with the vinaigrette and toss together. Add a sprinkling of fresh thyme and 100g halved, pitted green olives, then toss together. Garnish with leftover fennel fronds.
To serve, divide the fennel salad between four plates and place a pork chop next to it. Drizzle with more vinaigrette and a few more olives, if you like.
For more meals you can cook at home, visit our ‘recipes’ page by clicking here.
