The Collective Cook

Roast Pork with Pedro Ximenez sauce

I stumbled across a nice twist tonight. I cooked the pork (rolled loin sourced from feather and bone, of course) in the usual manner, including placing it on a layer (8) fresh bay leaves while it cooked. After the pork was cooked, I rested it under alfoil for 2 hours. In the roasting pan I cooked 5 green apples (peeled, cored and halved) in the pan juices and bay leaves. This idea of roasting apples with pork I got from a Stephanie Alexander book some time ago. I added a tablespoon of brown sugar, sprinkled over the top, along with 3 or 4 cloves. After the apples had cooked, I removed them and then made a sauce in the pan. I had no wine open so what to deglaze the pan with? I opted for pedro ximenez, a sweet Spanish sherry that I love on ice-cream (an idea I got from Moro). The sherry was a fabulous complement to the sweetness of the apples, cloves and sugar. I added flour, chicken stock and some more brown sugar to balance the residual saltiness from the pork skin. It was a beautiful sauce that was magic on the pork, roasted apples and potatoes roasted in duck fat, garlic, rosemary and citrus zest ( a Jamie Oliver idea). Yum, I'll be doing this one again.

Moro's spanish tortilla

Moro is a wonderful restaurant in London. When we first ate there in 2007, we loved it so much we bought all three of their cookbooks to take home and add to our already large collection. This spanis tortilla is right up the front of the first of the Moro books: "Moro: the cookbook". The authors describe the tortilla as encapsulating much about Spanish food. With a little practice, it is simple to make and it is a real crowd pleaser. It can be served hot (but it has to cool a little to cut properly) or at room temperature. It goes well with other 'plates' like cold meats, cheeses, salads, dips and so on. I get more enthusiastic requests for this tortilla then just about anything else I cook.

One secret to the dish is the onions. You cook two large spanish onions (cut in half and thinly sliced) in 10 tablespoons of olive oil with a pinch of salt over a low heat (lower the better) for about 45 minutes or until they are golden and sweet-smelling. Be patient. You don't want them to crisp, but otherwise the longer you cook them the better really.When they are cooked drain the onions and reserve the oil. You cook the tortilla in the onion-infused oil and that really makes a difference, I believe.

The potatoes need to be soft but retain their shape - you don't want chips or mash. I use desiree or pontiac. Peel 700gms of potatoes, halve lengthwise and slice to 5mm thickness. Toss potatoes with 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Cook the potatoes in sunflower oil (or other light vegetable oil) at a simmer until tender. Drain (reserve oil for another time) and leave to cool.

Beat six eggs (I only use free range or organic, I love chooks) in a bowl briefly. Add the cooled potatoes and onions and stir gently until well-integrated. Taste and add a little pepper and some salt if needed.

Put three-quarters of the onion-infused oil in a 20cm pan and when it is hot (just starting to smoke) pour in the mixture while gently shaking the pan (this helps get an even distribution). A hot pan will prevent sticking. When the mixture is in the pan reduce the heat to low and cook for 3 - 5 minutes. the underside should be a dark golden brown, just a little short of actually being burnt.

Now comes the fun part. Cover the pan with a dinner plate and quickly (and smoothly) invert the tortilla onto the plate. I do this over the sink because the uncooked side of the tortilla can be a little runny. Some recipes suggest popping the tortilla under a griller or in the oven rather than turning it, but this is wrong! Successfully turning the tortilla will give you a small thrill of personal accomplishment. It also helps to give the tortilla its distinctive shape - and you want your tortilla to look authentic right?

Pour the remaining oil in the pan and turn up the heat. When it is starting to smoke again, slide the tortilla into the pan and with a spatula or similar make sure the edges are tucked in. Turn the heat down and cook for 3-5 minutes. Turn the tortilla out on to a clean plate - it's much easier this time. 

It will look magnificent in the middle of your table. Let it cool a little and then slice thinly.

By the way, Movida is a great spanish restaurant in Melbourne. We've got their book, too. Even closer to home, we love eating at firefly a tapas bar in Walsh Bay. I've also had several great lunches at the Cantina Bar and Grill on Sydney's Oxford street.