Pork and Mandarine Pot Roast

Another One Pot Dinner Winner!!

Against all odds last night's dinner was a success!!

Last night was one of those nights when even though you had planned it all perfectly, there was that inevitable "spanner" that came hurtling in threatening to ruin it all.

I had read the recipe, recalculated the cooking time based on the size of meat I was using, adjusted the liquid level to account for the larger piece of meat, had planned it around a scheduled appointment (and this is where it all went pear shaped) - the appointment was late, then later again, and then stayed too long. Even after all this, the meal was still beautiful, tender, and tasty!

Pork and Mandarine Pot Roast

Serves 6

Cooking time - 2 + hours

2 tsp oil
1.9kg whole pork scotch fillet
1 medium leek, sliced
2-3 cloves crushed garlic
5cm pice of ginger, chopped finely
3 medium mandarins
4 cups chicken stock
1 cup water
2/3 cups Shao Hsing Cooking Wine
1/2 cup light soy
3 tbs honey
1 bunch bok choy
1 bunch broccolini
1kg hokkien noodles (use what ever suits but between 500g-1kg)

Slice the leek, and wash well to make sure there is no grit in between the layers, drain well.

Grate the rind from the mandarins, be careful the skin in a lot thinner than an orange!!

Heat the oil in a large pan, brown the pork on all sides. You want to have a lovely golden, brown "sealing coat" all over the piece of meat. Don't worry if it tends to stick a little, just scrape the little bits off later. Remove the pork from the pan. Remove any excess oil from the pan - you only need about 1 teaspoon left. Add the leek, garlic and ginger to the pan, and cook stirring until the leek is soft.

Return to pork to the pan with the leek etc, add the stock, water, wine, soy sauce and the grated mandarin rind. Bring to the boil, and simmer gently for 1 1/2 hours, check it occasionally to make sure it is not boiling too fast, you may want to turn it if you feel the meat is not completely covered with the liquid.

After this time add the honey to the pan, and cook for a further 30 minutes, or until the pork is tender. Remove the pork from the pan and cover it to keep warm - put in a pre warmed oven (but don't keep the oven "on".)

Boil the stock mixture for about 20 minutes, or until it has thickened slightly.

While you are simmering, place the hokkien noodles in colander and pour boiling water over them to separate them. Drain them well.

Now place the noodles, the mandarin segments, the bok choy and broccolini into the boiling stock mixture. Stir well to make sure the veggies are in the liquid. Put the lid on and simmer (you will want to turn the temperature down) for 5 minutes, or until the veggies are just tender.

Slice the pork, and serve on top of the noodles and vegetables. There you have a lovely, soupy, noodle, pot roast.

So tell me Dear Readers has there been a meal that has worked for you against all odds?