Consuming Passions - Worldwide Events Managers

Pork and Prune Stir fry

Serves: 6-8

Notes

Stir frying is the art of almost burning food by frying it over a big heat with a little oil. It is a very effective way to cook vegetables, fish and meat. The dish brings together two distinct flavours – pork, and a fruit which for some reason has long been a source of ridicule, the prune. I cannot think why – it is high in fibre, tastes superb and beautifully compliments pork.

Ingredients

• 1 kg lean pork (any cut will do)
• 1 large onion
• 3 or 4 spring onions
• 1/2 red capsicum
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 tsp fresh ginger, chopped
• 1 Tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp sesame oil
• 1 glass sherry
• 2 tsp chilli sauce
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 dozen pitted prunes
• Pinch black pepper
• Fresh coriander to garnish
• Juice of 1 lime

Method

Trim any remaining fat from the meat and cut into thin slices across the grain of the meat. (Chilling the meat in the freezer for an hour or so beforehand will make it easier to slice it thinly.) Mix up a marinade by combining the sesame oil, chilli sauce, the sherry, ground coriander and soy sauce. Marinate the pork pieces in this aromatic mixture for a couple of hours or overnight. Thinly slice the onion, coarsely slice the spring onion (white and green parts), and crush the garlic. Cut the pitted prunes and capsicum longways into strips. Drain the pork pieces reserving the marinade. In a wok or frying pan over high heat, fry onion, capsicum strips and garlic in some of the olive oil until onions begin to brown. A couple of minutes will do. Remove to a dish or a plate. Put a dribble more oil into wok or pan. Add the pork pieces and stir. The pan must be very hot otherwise the meat will toughen. After a couple of minutes toss in prunes to warm them. Sprinkle in chopped spring onions. I add a little ground pepper at this time along with the onions, capsicum and garlic. Toss a little more and serve with plain rice and a mixed green salad garnished with fresh or ground coriander and sprinkled with lime juice.