Love Bites Pork Steaks with Lentils and Greens

This recipe is a well balanced and delicious dish, low in carbohydrates and full of flavour. The tang of the artichokes is well balanced by the saltness of the feta and acidity of the cider vinegar. Feel free to mix the green salad with pork belly or chops or mix the spinach with rocket and cress. Broccoli, beans and asparagus are also tasty alternatives or additions. 

A perfect seasonal dish that is easy and always tasty.

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS

• x2 Pork steaks
• 1 Tspn fennel seeds
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• Salt and pepper to season
• 1/2 Cup marinated artichokes (cut into smaller wedges if necessary)
• 70g Spinach or mixture of rocket
• 80g Feta cheese
• 300g Can of cooked lentils
• 1/2 Cup garden peas
• A handful chopped parsley
• Good quality olive oil, cider vinegar and extra lemon juice salt & pepper to dress and garnish

METHOD

• Season the steaks in salt and pepper, garlic and fennel seeds, and cook 2-3 minutes each side on a medium - high heat
• Heat the lentils on the stove or microwave as per instructions on the can (feel free to also cook dried lentils)
• Boil the peas and drain
• Arrange the spinach on the bottom of the pan add the lentils, peas and artichokes
• Dress the salad a lug of olive oil, cider vinegar, lemon juice if desired and salt and pepper
• Lay the pork on top of the salad and garnish with the chopped parsley and feta

Notes: feel free to add any additional vegetables, like green beans, broccoli, or asparagus and mix up the herbs - basil, coriander or a bit of mint is a delicious and fresh addition!

Ì AMY’S VEGE STEAK STACK

This is the backbone of a recipe that has many variations. You can choose different vegetables depending on the season, and also different meats.  Other options that work particularly well for veges are asparagus, eggplant, kumara or potato and rocket (I LOVE).  Chicken snitzels, or tenderloins also work well and especially good with pesto mayonaise as a condiment, in fact so good that I will have to post the stack another time! For now please enjoy the Steak Stack.

Ingredients

Frying steak – per person

Bunch of brocolini
½ red and yellow pepper (ends cut off to make them flat) and cut into three
1 large garlic clove - crushed
Olive oil for frying and grilling
A rash of bacon - per person
Portobello mushroom – per person
Horseradish mustard for garnish

Method

• Heat oven to grill at 200 degrees

• Crush garlic with a knife and add some sea salt

• Scar the steak with your knife and press half the garlic into each side of the steak

• Season with sea salt and pepper, set aside

• Cut peppers and add to a lightly oiled oven pan, grill for 10-15 minutes

• Check the peppers halfway through and add the mushrooms

• Heat oil in a frying pan and add the brocolini and garlic with a pinch of sea salt

• Fry until cooked – can add a dribble of water and cover with a pan lid to make al dente

• Once cooked set aside and add a bit more oil to the pan

• Fry the steak about 2-3 minutes on each side over a medium to high heat (depending on how you like your steak cooked) add in the bacon once you have turned the steak over and fry until cooked

• Once cooked stack the plate - brocolini first, then the peppers, steak, bacon, mushroom (open side down) and top with a condiment of your choice – I chose a horseradish mustard which really complimented the flavours of the dish

• Season with salt and pepper and a herb of your choice.