serves
4
prep
20 minutes
cook
20 minutes
difficulty
Mid
serves
4
people
preparation
20
minutes
cooking
20
minutes
difficulty
Mid
level
Ingredients
- 4 150 g (5oz) free-range pork chops
- lime wedges, to serve
Marinade
- 1 tbsp allspice berries
- 1 tbsp black peppercorns
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ nutmeg, freshly grated
- ¼ bunch thyme, leaves picked
- 5 spring onions, roughly chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
- 1 scotch bonnet or other very hot chilli, deseeded and roughly chopped
- 1 tbsp dark brown sugar
- 2 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 1 lime, juiced
- sea salt
Sweet potato salad
- 4 sweet potatoes, halved
- 4 sprigs thyme
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- olive oil, to drizzle
- ¼ red onion, roughly chopped
- 1 large tomato, roughly chopped
- 1 small bunch coriander, leaves picked and roughly chopped
- 1 small bunch flat-leaf parsley, leaves picked and roughly chopped
- 1 lime
- freshly grated nutmeg, to taste
Marinating time 4 hours
Instructions
Using a pestle and mortar, grind the allspice and peppercorns to a powder, then add to a food processor along with the cinnamon, nutmeg, thyme, spring onions, garlic and chilli. Blend to a paste, then stir in the sugar, soy sauce and lime juice. Pour the mixture into a large bowl, then add the pork and rub the marinade into the meat along with a little salt. Cover and leave to marinate for at least 4 hours, or overnight.
For the sweet potato salad, prepare the sweet potatoes by placing a thyme sprig between each half. Sprinkle over a little salt and drizzle with a little oil, then wrap tightly in foil. Heat a barbecue or chargrill pan so that it’s nice and hot, but not searing. If using a charcoal or wood-fired barbecue, place the potatoes in the hot coals and put a few pieces of coal on top; they'll bake really nicely in about 20–25 minutes. If using a chargrill pan, place the potatoes in a 220°C (Gas 6) oven for 20–25 minutes.
Meanwhile, cook the chops for 4 minutes each side. Keep warm and leave to rest for a couple of minutes while you finish off the potatoes.
Remove the sweet potatoes from the foil and discard the thyme. Roughly chop up the sweet potatoes and add a good pinch of salt and pepper. Stir in the chopped onion, tomato and herbs and squeeze in the lime. Add a good grating of nutmeg. Serve with the pork chops, putting a wedge of lime on each plate.
Cook's Notes
Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.
