Tuesday 24 August 2010

Ready Steady Cook : Main Course


I love blog challenges and competitions. They are great for making this normally lazy cook take a big steps out of her comfort zone.

Another reason I have a keen interest in Ready Steady Cook, is my love for Ainsley Harriott 
I was lucky enough to be on a show aired in South Africa called "Off the Menu", hosted by Ainsley Harriott.
So to get the challenge each blogger will then use 7 ingredients provided by another participant plus the allowed "pantry" ingredients and free items (salt, pepper, olive oil, sunflower oil) to create a 3 course meal. This sounds easy enough, but I have spent 2 weeks re-creating menus in my head before being satisfied.

My list of ingredients came from Claudine and I must say I have really had a challenge even Ainsley would have had trouble with. 

  1.  Leeks
  2. Plain Couscous
  3. Strawberries
  4. A Chilli
  5. Pork Chops
  6. Dates
  7. Cauliflower
I choose to start with my main course. So without any more name dropping or complaining here goes the first step in the challenge :

Couscous Encrusted Baked Pork Chop with Leek and Garlic Couscous and Cauliflower Purée.

Couscous Encrusted Baked Pork Chop
2 Pork Chops
½ Cup of flour
1 Egg Beaten
½ Cup of uncooked Couscous

Pre-heat your oven to 200ºC
Coat the chops in flour, shake off excess.
Dip in the beaten egg then coat in the couscous.
 Place in a baking pan, drizzel with a little oil.
 Bake for about 15-20 minutes until golden and cooked through.
Leek and Garlic Couscous

2 Thinly Sliced Leeks 
2 Cloves of Garlic thinly sliced
1 Cup Couscous
1 Cup Boiling water
Oil for frying leeks

Prepare the couscous as per the box instructions.
Fry the leeks in a little oil until soft and starting to brown.
Add the garlic and good on low heat until cooked and soft.
Stir the cooked leaks and garlic into the prepared couscous.

Cauliflower Purée

1 Head Cauliflower
1 Cup Milk
30ml Salted Butter

Cook  the cauliflower in the milk and butter until soft.
Purée until smooth, add seasoning.

7 comments:

Hila said...

yay! well done and that is is extremely inovative. I would love to know how it tasted :)

cindy said...

Well done, looks great!

Marisa said...

You're quick!

Those are some tricky ingredients, but looks like you managed to do a great job so far. Looking forward to see what you come up with for the starter & dessert. :-)

Anonymous said...

We also entered the Off The Menu competition! Nice main course :)

Anonymous said...

Wow! That is very clever indeed. Looks yum. Now I'm going to have to rethink my entry...

Heather S-G said...

Oh wow! You did a fabulous job...those were some tough ingredients to bring together! =)

Claudz said...

I'm sorry I gave you such tricky ingredients....
But you have created something that looks amazing!

Jeremiah 17: 7-8

"Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in Him. He will be like a tree planted by the water."

It is not your business to succeed, but to do what is right : when you have done so, the rest lies with God.
C.S. Lewis

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