BEER AND GARLIC BARBECUED PORK CUTLETS WITH SMOKY EGGPLANT PUREE

Preparation time 10 mins plus 2 hours marinating Cooking time 40 mins Serves 4

4 thick-cut pork cutlets, skin removed, French-trimmed

1 cup boiling water

½ cup fine salt

375ml pale ale beer

3 large whole eggplants

6 cloves garlic, minced

Juice of 2 lemons

¼ cup unhulled tahini

½ cup extra virgin olive oil

Sea-salt flakes and freshly

ground black pepper

6 sprigs thyme, leaves finely chopped, plus extra to garnish

1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

2 tsp Tabasco

Baby cos leaves and pomegranate arils (seeds), to serve

STEP 1 Use a skewer to pierce pork several times. Combine water and salt in a large jug. Stir until dissolved, then cool. Mix in beer, then pour into a shallow, non-reactive tray or container. Add pork, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours.

STEP 2 Preheat a barbecue grill on medium heat. Cook eggplant for about 30 mins, turning several times, until skin is blackened and eggplant soft. Cut eggplant in half lengthways. Scrape the flesh into a bowl, discarding skin. Mix in 2 cloves garlic, lemon juice, tahini and ¼ cup of the olive oil. Season.

STEP 3 Mix thyme, Worcestershire, Tabasco and remaining garlic with 1 Tbsp of the remaining olive oil.

STEP 4 Remove pork from beer mixture, pat dry and rub with remaining oil. Cook cutlets on a hot barbecue grill for 3 mins on each side, until charred. Top with thyme mixture and arrange on barbecue resting rack. Cook, lid down, for 5 mins, until just firm. Serve pork cutlets with eggplant puree, cos leaves and pomegranate arils, and garnish with extra thyme sprigs.