Andreas Viestads Pork Meatballs With Prunes Food

PORK MEATBALLS IN RED PEPPER SAUCE

Steps:

• Put the pork mince in a bowl and stir in the apple, garlic, breadcrumbs and some salt and pepper. Shape the mixture into 16 balls, cover and chill for 10 mins.
• Meanwhile, make the sauce. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan and add the onion. Cook for 2-3 mins, until softened, then tip in the tomatoes and half a can of water. Stir in the peppers along with some salt and pepper. Partially cover and simmer for 15 mins.
• Heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan and add the meatballs. Cook for 5-6 mins, stirring occasionally until they are browned all over. Set aside and keep warm.
• Using a hand-held blender, whizz the tomato sauce until smooth. Carefully add the meatballs to the sauce and simmer for 5 mins, until cooked through. Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti following pack instructions, drain, then divide between serving plates. Top with the meatballs and sauce.

ANDREAS VIESTAD'S PORK MEATBALLS WITH PRUNES

Steps:

• In a bowl, mix the meat with ginger, nutmeg, curry, salt and potato starch. Add milk. Leave while you make stuffing.
• In a pot, mix the prunes, apples, caraway, and pinch of curry powder. Pour port wine over mixture and bring to boil for 3-5 minutes until it thickens. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
• Dip a spoon in some cold water. Take a nice handful of the meat pate and flatten it out in your hand. Add some of the stuffing mixture to the pate and try to seal off the stuffing so that it remains inside the meatball.
• Fry the meatballs in butter over medium high heat. It takes about 7 minutes, depending on the size of your meatballs.

BRAISED PORK WITH PRUNES

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a flame-proof casserole pan and cook the pork, turning occasionally, until it is golden brown all over, about 10 mins. You need plenty of space in the pan, so cook in 2 batches if the meat starts to steam. Remove from the pan to a plate. Tip out any burnt bits, then add the butter and cook the onion for 3-5 mins until softened.
• Stir in the flour, then return the pork and juices to the pan. Pour over the wine and enough stock to cover the meat. Bring to the boil, reduce to a simmer, put the lid on and cook for 45 mins, stirring occasionally. Tip in the prunes, top up with stock or water if the meat isn't covered, and cook 45 mins more, uncovered, until really tender. Serve sprinkled with parsley.

ANDREAS VIESTAD'S PORK RIB ROAST WITH CLOVES

Steps:

• Place the meat skin side up on a cutting board. With a sharp heavy knife, cut through the rind and fat to make a crosshatch pattern with 1-inch squares.
• With a thin sharp knife, make a small slit in each square. (This is where you will insert the cloves; you could insert them now, but I have found that all the handling is likely to break off most of the nice-looking tops of the cloves).
• Rub the meat with the salt and pepper.
• Place the meat in a baking dish.
• Cut 1 orange in half and squeeze the juice over the meat.
• Slice another orange and place the slices under and over the meat.
• Cover and refrigerate for 1 to 2 days, turning three or four times.
• Preheat the oven to 400°F.
• Discard the orange and place the meat fat side down in a roasting pan.
• Insert the sage between the cut ribs.
• Turn the meat skin side up. Cut the remaining orange in half and squeeze the juice over the meat.
• Cut the orange halves into smaller pieces and place them under the meat.
• Insert a clove in each of the slits in the fat.
• Cover the roast with foil.
• Place the roasting pan in the middle of the oven and roast for 45 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and reduce the temperature to 350°F.
• Remove the foil and Remove the meat from the pan and add potatoes and onions to the pan, making a foundation for the meat.
• Return the meat to the pan and place in the oven, this time setting it in the lower third of the oven; roast for about 1 hour.
• Move the pan to the middle of the oven. Increase the heat to 400° to 425°F and roast for about 20 minutes longer under frequent surveillance to produce a good crackling. If you have a top oven broiler, you could use it, but be very careful that you don't burn the roast.
• It is difficult to give the exact time for the crackling process, since that depends on the intensity of heat in your oven. If there is no sign of crackling after 10 minutes, gradually turn the heat up to 450°F.
• The crackling will be superb if it looks as if the rind is boiling and the fatty squares have started to separate.
• Remove and allow to cool slightly.
• Cut the meat into 2-rib sections and place on serving plates. The meat looks nice served with the cloves, but be advised that they should be removed before eating, as they are still quite strong-tasting.
• Enjoy!