Jam Jar Jan

Hoisin pork and egg fried rice

Asian inspired salad with black garlic beef kebabs

NOVEMBER COMFORT FOOD
It’s always a struggle to adjust when the clocks first go back. Short dark days make you feel like there’s no time to fit everything in during daylight hours, just the urge to baton down the hatches and hide under the covers. But then you remember there are benefits to the darkness. Halloween is spookier, Firework night is more dramatic and Diwali lights up the world and makes it a happier place. Nights in front of the fire become something to look forward to, the return of Strictly provides welcome sparkles to lift the spirits and the Christmas lights start to appear as the build up to the Big day begins. Light always triumphs over darkness, and it's time for some winter comfort food.
This is when hearty stews, warming soups and comforting hot beverages come into their own.
This month I’ve been experimenting with pressure cooker versus slow cooker meals and filling my freezer full of easy fixes. Read on for this month’s highlights including carbs and comfort food for Student Son on a mid term trip home , and a quick fix fakeaway.

What's in Jan's pan November 2024

Hoisin Pork and Stir-fried rice
Student Son was back for home comforts mid-term. A bath and a home cooked meal were high on the agenda. There's really nothing like a spell away to make you appreciate home , and dare I say, instant effort-free home cooked meals had suddenly gained new respect. So far pasta and potatoes feature highly for practicality, and so his favourite rice dish was requested. A quick lesson helped to extend his repetoire. Now it's rice on repeat.

Serves 2-3

- oil for frying
- 1 pork fillet, approx 450g
- 4-6 tbsp Hoisin sauce, plus extra to serve
- 150g rice, cooked and quickly cooled *
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 50g frozen peas
- 2 spring onions, sliced
- 100g diced ham (optional)
- Steamed tenderstem broccoli, to serve

Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/Gas 7
Heat some oil in an ovenproof pan over a medium high heat. Sear the pork on all sides until golden, 4-6 minutes.

Brush with some of the hoisin sauce and transfer the pork to the oven. Cook for 12-15mins until cooked through.

Once cooked, remove from the oven, cover with foil and allow to rest for 5mins.

Meanwhile, cook the egg fried rice. Heat some oil in a frying pan on a medium-high heat. Add the rice and cook for a minute or 2 to heat through.

Push the rice to one side, then add the beaten eggs. Allow to set and scramble then gently stir into the rice with the peas, spring onions and ham. 

Cook until everything is piping hot, 3-4 mins.

Slice the pork fillet into 1.5-2cm slices. Add the remaining hoi sin sauce to the pan and return the slices to the pan. 

Gently heat the pork in the sauce until coated and glossy. Add a splash of water if necessary.

Serve the egg fried rice topped with the pork. Serve with some tenderstem broccoli alongside.

* top tips for perfect rice

Use double the quantity of water to rice (150g rice to 300g water here)

In a pan bring to the boil with the lid on.

Turn down the heat and simmer for 10mins

After 10mins turn off the heat and allow to steam for another 10mins with the lid on.

Spread the rice out onto a shallow tray to allow it to cool quickly. Use or refridgerate within 1 hour.

Speedy student tip - rice can be cooked in the microwave!

Put 1 part rice to 2 parts water into a microwaveable bowl. Cover with cling film or a plate.

Cook on high for 10mins, then rest for up to 10 mins. 

Beware, it will be very hot!

Separate the grains with a fork and serve hot, or cool and use for fried rice as above.

What's in Jan's veg box

Cucumber, mini peppers and lamb's lettuce

Asian inspired salad with black garlic beef kebabs
On a cold Friday evening we dreamed of a Thai takeway.
But there were ingredients in the fridge and a cosy fire burning. So the fire won hands down, and a speedy solution was sought. This hit the spot.
Serves 2
2 skewers of black garlic beef kebabs
(suport your local butcher if you can, mine came from local butcher, Picketts, but you could sear and slice a piece of steak of your choice, or even use sliced cooked beef - the ideal way to use leftovers from the Sunday roast and makes this recipe even quicker)
mini red and yellow peppers, halved and cored
For the pickled cucumber
1/2 cucumber, halved lengthways and sliced
2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
pinch sugar
pinch salt
pinch chilli flakes
Dressing
3 tbsp sesame oil
1 tsp yuzu or lime juice
1 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp of the rice wine vinegar from the marinated cucumber
1 tsp grated fresh ginger
1 clove garlic, crushed or grated
For the salad
small bag of lambs lettuce
thinly sliced radish if you have it (as you can see in the pic, I didn't, but it would be a great addition)
To finish
handful salted peanuts, roughly chopped
crispy onions

Heat a griddle pan with a drizzle of oil on a medium high heat
Put the cucumber into a small bowl with the pickling ingredients and set aside while you cook the kebabs and peppers
Sear the kebabs or steak on all sides until cooked to your liking.
Char the peppers at the same time until softened and blackened
Put all of the dressing ingredients into a jar and shake together
Divide the lamb's lettuce between your salad bowls, drain the cucumber from the vinegar and add with the charred peppers and radish if using. Drizzle the dressing over and toss before topping with your beef kebabs and sprinkling with peanuts and crispy onions

Let me know if you feel suitably inspired, and please leave a comment and if it leaves you wanting more. 

What have you been eating this month, I’d love to know?