Creating fresh salad sensations with versatile pork

Summer means long warm days and outside entertaining, with an abundance of fresh produce to choose from to inspire and explore new ideas and flavour combinations.

Pork, the world’s most consumed meat, offers a healthy, versatile and sustainable protein option that presents an endless variety of dishes to satisfy the most discerning palates.

Leaving winter behind, many will want to shed the unwanted kilograms that comfort eating and hibernation have piled on. A healthy menu can incorporate pork as a protein source made delectable by applying different cooking methods and flavour combinations — and it is particularly good in a range of wholesome salads, the perfect food for warm weather food.

Beneficial as part of a balanced diet, pork is an excellent source of vitamins such as B6 and B12, and minerals including thiamine, zinc, niacin, phosphorus and iron. Considered a lean-meat protein, visible fat can be easily trimmed off without taking away from the rich flavour. There are a wide variety of leaner cuts such as fillet, neck steaks, goulash and loin chops that can be combined with fresh produce to create healthy meals that are nutritious and interesting.

Fortunately, consumers do not have to tighten their belts to afford quality pork products. On average, pork is 75% and 50% cheaper than lamb and beef cuts in SA. As leading chefs across the world incorporate the concept of nose-to-tail eating in their restaurant menus there’s a wealth of recipes available that use every part of the pork carcass, creating a range of delectable dishes for all tastes and cultures.

And, lest we forget, pork on the braai. Think finger-licking sticky ribs, marinated pork fillet, spicy espetadas – and a variety of pork sausages made in exciting global flavours that offer alternatives to the traditional favourites cooked over the flame.

Need a tasty meal in a hurry? Eskort has a wide variety of precooked foods such as frikkadels, crumbed pork strips, schnitzels and delectable ribs all readily available on supermarket shelves, providing just the inspiration needed for exciting meal solutions for family and friends – without any hassle.

With Eskort’s exciting selection of smoked pork products, summer salads need never be boring.

We share a trio of salads featuring exciting flavour combinations and seasonal produce, combined with trendy pulses and grains to make your salad the star attraction.

ESKORT FACTS

For peace of mind, Eskort has adopted SAFE as its commitment to offering South African consumers quality pork products. SAFE stands for: Sustainable — environmental sustainability, sow-friendly practices, pig welfare and biosecurity; Accountable — traceability, uncompromised hygiene practices and rigid quality control measures; Farm-to-fork — responsibility across the entire value chain; and Excellence — superior, award-winning products for 104 years.

GRILLED PORK FILLET SALAD WITH CHAR-GRILLED PINEAPPLE

Serves: 4

Prep time: 20 mins

Cooking time: 20 mins

Ingredients:

1 Eskort pork fillet, approx 500g, at room temperature

1 pineapple, core removed and cut into wedges

1 sweetcorn on the cob

Olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

A large handful of fresh coriander, washed and picked

A large handful rocket, washed and dried

1 red onion, thinly sliced

Vinaigrette:

125ml (½ cup) coconut milk

60ml (4 tbsp) lime juice

2cm piece of fresh ginger, grated

30ml (2 tbsp) grated palm sugar (or use brown sugar)

2 lime or lemon leaves, stems removed and finely chopped

12.5ml (2 ½ tsp) curry powder

Method:

1. Heat your braai or grill pan to medium-high.
2. Drizzle pork, pineapple and corn with oil and season well.
3. Grill pork, making sure to turn the meat only once it is not sticking to the grill or pan. Six minutes per side will be the perfect medium.
4. Meanwhile, grill pineapple 1-2 minutes each side, and do the same with the corn until it is charred and cooked through.
5. Allow the corn and pineapple to cool and cut the corn off the cobb, making sure you have large chunks of corn for plating.
6. For the vinaigrette, combine all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Season to taste.
7. Slice pork, arrange on a serving platter with pineapple and corn, top with coriander, rocket and red onion.
8. Drizzle with vinaigrette and serve.

ROASTED PORK, PEAR AND CHICKPEA SALAD

Serves: 4

Prep time: 10 mins

Cooking time: 20 mins

Ingredients:

500g Eskort smoked pork neck steaks

Olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 large pear

Olive oil

1 x 400g can chickpeas, drained

5ml (1 tsp) harissa pasta (or chilli paste)

1 pillow pack of mixed salad leaves

Method:

1. Heat a frying pan over a moderate heat.
2. Brush the pork neck steaks with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
3. Fry in the same pan for 5-6 minutes on each side.
4. Cut the pears into quarters and brush with a tablespoon of olive oil.
5. Place them into the frying pan and fry them for 5-6 minutes.
6. Remove the steaks from the pan and set aside to cool.
7. Add the chickpeas with the harissa paste to the pan and heat through till chickpeas are coated with paste.
8. Remove and cool.
9. Thinly slice the pork neck steaks and serve with the pear quarters and chickpeas tossed in mixed salad leaves.

PROSCIUTTO WRAPPED PORK FILLET

Serves: 4

Prep time: 30 mins

Cooking time: 60 mins

Ingredients:

150g thinly sliced prosciutto

1 Eskort pork fillet

Vinaigrette:

1 small clove of garlic, chopped

125ml (½ cup) grated Parmesan cheese

30ml (2 tbsp) white wine vinegar

1 lemon, juiced

5ml (1 tsp) runny honey

125ml (½ cup) olive oil

Freshly ground black pepper

60ml (¼ cup) vegetable oil

Salad:

300g orzo or risoni (pasta rice)

Olive oil

500g cherry tomatoes

Coarse sea salt

A large handful of rocket

15ml (1 tbsp) chives, finely sliced

A couple of basil leaves, picked and torn

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Cover a chopping board with a single loose layer of plastic wrap, then start layering the plastic wrap vertically towards you with the prosciutto. Make sure the prosciutto is overlapping to have a solid mesh to roll the fillet in. Place the pork fillet at the bottom of the layered prosciutto. Lift the bottom edge of the plastic wrap and start rolling the prosciutto over the fillet. When the prosciutto reaches the other side, pull away the plastic from the prosciutto and complete the rolling process. You should now have a beautiful pork fillet wrapped in prosciutto.
2. Combine the garlic, Parmesan, vinegar, lemon juice, honey, olive oil and pepper for the vinaigrette in a blender and pulse to combine and set aside for the salad.
3. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, drop in the orzo and cook according to package instructions. Drain, rinse in cold water to cool completely and drain again.
4. Heat about 30ml (2 tbsp) of olive oil over medium-high heat in a large frying pan. Add the cherry tomatoes with seasoning and cook for about 5 minutes until the tomatoes start to burst. Lower the heat and cook to caramelise and soften the tomatoes. Remove and cool.
5. Preheat an ovenproof griddle pan for the pork and, when very hot, carefully brown the meat, turning once until the pork fillet is crispy all round. Transfer the pan with the pork to the oven and cook for 6 minutes, then allow the meat to rest while making the salad.
6. Combine the orzo, tomatoes, rocket, basil and chives in a large mixing bowl. Drizzle over the Parmesan vinaigrette and toss well.
7. Serve the pork at room temperature, sliced into thick rounds with the orzo salad.

This article was paid for by Eskort.