A ZESTY DELIGHT
Versatile pork dish pairs well
British food writer and chef Ursula Ferrigno has produced a zesty collection of mains, sides and desserts lashed together by her love of citrus. In her 19th cookbook — this one penned with collaborator Clare Winfield — Ferrigno incorporates Mediterranean and especially North African influences. This harissa-flavoured pork dish is a perfect example:
HARISSA PORK WITH LIME, RADISH, CARROT AND MINT SALAD
(From Lemons and Limes, Ursula Ferrigno and Clare Winfield.)
The Salad
1 orange, segmented then
roughly chopped
5 oz. (142 g) radishes, coarsely grated
3 carrots, coarsely grated
1 small red onion, finely sliced
1 bunch fresh mint leaves, chopped
1/4 cup (60 mL) extra-virgin olive oil
2 tsp (10 mL) red-wine vinegar
Juice of 1 lime
2 tbsp (30 mL) pepitas
Salt and pepper
The Yogurt
3/4 cup (180 mL) natural yogurt
4 teaspoons (20 mL) harissa paste
Zest from 1 lime
The Chops
2 tbsp (30 mL) harissa
2 tbsp (30 mL) olive oil
4 pork-loin chops
Juice of 1 lemon
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
In a bowl, combine oranges, radishes, carrots, red onion and mint. In a small bowl, mix oil, vinegar, lime juice, salt and pepper, and pour over salad. In a non-stick frying pan over medium heat, dry-fry pepitas for 1-2 minutes, stirring continuously. Set aside. To make the yogurt, combine harissa, yogurt and lime zest in a bowl. Set aside.
For the pork, mix harissa with olive oil and rub all over meat and season with salt. On a griddle pan over medium heat, fry chops for 3 minutes on each side or until browned. Transfer to serving plates. Add lemon juice to pan juices and reduce. Pour over pork. Serve pork with salad, harissa yogurt and toasted pepitas.
Makes: 4 servings.