Pork and Cider

Ingredients
2 Apples (cut into 8 wedges)
4 Pork Chops
2 Sprigs Fresh Sage
200ml Crème Fraiche
200ml Dry Cider
1 Tablespoon Redcurrant Jelly
A Splash of Oil
Vegetables (to serve, so your choice)

Equipment
1 SHARP Knife
1 Chopping Board
1 Frying Pan
1 Plate (for the chops)
Tin Foil

The Good Bit

1. Heat the oil in the pan then toss in the apples, cook for 3-4 minutes each side until golden, take out and set aside. Next drop in the chops, season with salt and pepper, cooking until bottom is golden before turning to brown the other side.
2. Add in the sage and cider, bring to a low boil and simmer for 15 minutes. When the pork is cooked through, remove from the pan and cover with tin foil.
3. Stir in the redcurrant jelly until it is all dissolved then spoon in the crème fraiche and apples, heat through and season to taste.
4. Serve a pork chop per plate, if there are any juices remaining add them to the cider sauce, pour this and the apples over the chops and serve with vegetables.
   

Serves 4

Peppered Steak

Ingredients
4 Beef Steaks (a serving each)
4 Tablespoons Pepper corns
200g Mushrooms (button, chestnut, sliced)
4 Tablespoons Brandy
300ml Red Wine (something good but not your best from the wine cellar that you've been saving for the last 5 years)
1/2 Teaspoon Dried Thyme
2 Tablespoons Redcurrant Jelly (Cranberry will also do)
450g Potatoes (grated with the largest grating holes)
A Splash of Oil
Flour
Salt and Pepper to Taste
Chives or Fresh Thyme to Garnish

Equipment
2 Frying Pans (1 large 1 small)
2 Spatulas
1 Sharp Knife
1 Chopping Board
1 Grater
Rolling Pin (or something heavy)
1 Food Bag
Pastry Brush

The Good Bit

1. In the food bag crack the pepper corns with the rolling pin or your heavy item, then sprinkle this onto your steaks when all the pepper is used, push the cracked corns into the meat with your fingers. Now Brush each steak with a little oil and fry in a hot pan for 3-4 minutes on both sides until its well browned on both sides.
2. Split the grated potato into four even amounts and add a tablespoon of flour to each, your going to have to fry each portion off separately. With a little oil in the other frying pan you need to pat the grated the potato down and fry on both sides until golden (3-4 minutes) then repeat for the other 3 portions.
3. If your steaks are looking done whilst you are doing this, take them out of the pan and place on a plate and cover to keep warm (they'll be nice and juicy like this) Add the mushrooms to the steak frying pan and fry for a minute until beginning to brown.
4. The add the brandy and ignite (be careful) once the flames have gone add the red wine, redcurrant jelly and thyme and boil until the redcurrant has dissolved, season to taste.
5. Place a golden potato pancake on each plate, top with a steak then spoon around the mushrooms and red wine sauce, garnish with fresh thyme or chives (ladies if you serve this to any man, he'll be yours! and men if you serve it to a lady, she'll think your a genius in the kitchen!)

Serves 4 (half the ingredients for a cosy but luxury meal for 2)

French Pork With Mash

Ingredients
450g Potato
450g Parsnips
2 Tablespoons of Flour
Milk
Butter
Salt+Pepper
4 Pork Fillets cut into slices
100g Butter
16 Prunes (soaked in White wine 300ml for 30mins, 8hrs is better if you have time to soak them before you go out to work)
1 Jar Redcurrant Jelly
300ml (or there abouts) Double Cream
1 Lemon

Equipment
1 SHARP Knife
1 Chopping Board
Juicer
Masher
1 Large Frying Pan
1 Large Pan

The Good Bit

1. Chop the parsnips and potato into small cubes and cook for 10-12 minutes in the large pan with salted water in (when you shake the pan (with a lid on minus the water) the potatoes should just begin to break against the sides, add a tablespoon of flour and shake well.
2. Season the remaining flour with salt and pepper and dust the lamb with it, shaking off any excess (if you need more flour here don't be afraid to add)
3. Heat half the butter in the frying pan and cook the pork for 2mins each side then remove and set aside, pour the wine into this pan (minus the prunes) and add a good couple of spoonfuls of redcurrant jelly and heat until dissolved.
4. Add your cream prunes and the pork back to this mixture and and simmer whilst you mash the potatoes.
5. Drain the water (if you haven't already) from your spuds and parsnips, and give a really good mashing, add a good knob of butter and a good splash of milk (add a little at a time, it's easier to do this than take it out) we're going for a consistency not dissimilar to baby food, Season.
   
6. Add the lemon juice to the pork mixture then serve on a bed of the purée.

Serves 4