PORK WITH CIDER & APPLES

Prep: 30 mins. Cooking: 35 mins. Serves 4.

4 pork neck steaks (about 200g each),

at room temperature

1 tbsp olive oil

40g butter

1 onion, cut into thin wedges

2 small pink lady apples, each cut

into 12 wedges

12 leaves sage

2 cups (500ml) apple cider

2 tbsp crème fraîche Potato purée 4 desiree potatoes (about 700g),

peeled, quartered lengthways

200ml milk

180g unsalted butter, coarsely chopped

1 Preheat oven to 180˚C (160˚C fan). Place potatoes in a saucepan, cover with cold salted water and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low–medium and simmer until tender, about 20 mins; drain well. Place milk in a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer; remove from heat. Pass potatoes through a ricer (or use a large spoon to push through a medium–fine sieve) into milk, then, stirring continuously over low heat, gradually add butter. Stir until combined and smooth; keep warm.

2 Season pork steaks. Heat oil in a frypan over medium–high heat, add steaks and half the butter and cook until golden, about 3 mins each side. Place steaks on a baking paper-lined tray and transfer to oven to cook through, about 10 mins.

3 Add onion to same frypan and stir until tender, 5 mins; transfer to a plate. Reduce heat to medium, add remaining butter, apples and sage and cook, turning occasionally, for 5 mins or until tender; remove to a plate. Increase heat to high, deglaze pan with cider and reduce to about one-third, 6–8 mins. Add crème fraîche, boil to a sauce consistency, strain and serve hot with potato purée and steaks.