Pork chops, celeriac mash with an apple and ale gravy : Lovely flavours

Fresh and creamy lower carb celeriac mash (although some readers may prefer a potato mash) is the perfect partner to pork chops in this delicious recipe by Oliver Rowe.

Ingredients
Serves Four

1 large celeriac
150g/5oz butter, plus extra for the sauce
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 large onion
2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
3 Cox's apples, peeled
425ml/¾ pint London Pride ale (or similar)
4 pork chops
2 tsp vegetable oil
For the salad
½ tsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp. white wine vinegar
3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
250g/9oz rocket leaves

Method
1. Peel the celeriac, chop into 2.5cm/1-inch chunks and place in a pan of cold water. Place on the hob, bring to the boil and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Mash the celeriac with 100g/3½oz of the butter and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Keep covered and warm.
2. Meanwhile, peel, halve and thinly slice the onion lengthways into semicircles. Heat the olive oil in a heavy-bottomed frying pan and cook the onions on a medium high heat until soft and lightly coloured.
3. Cut the apples into quarters and cut out the cores out, then cut them again into eighths.
4. Remove the onions from the pan, add the remaining 50g/1½oz butter and place the apples in. Cook over a medium heat. When they are golden brown turn them over so that they are beautifully coloured on both sides.
5. Return the onions to the pan with the apples, raise the heat and add the ale to the pan. Adjust the seasoning and continue cooking until the apples begin to break down a little and the liquid has reduced by at least half and has thickened somewhat.
6. With a sharp knife score the skin of the chops and season them. This will help the chop to crisp when it is cooked.
7. Heat a griddle pan until smoking hot. Rub the pork chops with some vegetable oil (this will help prevent sticking) and place the chops on the hot griddle. Cook, turning as necessary, until the meat is cooked through (cooking time will depend on the thickness of the chops; it will be cooked when the juices run clear when pierced with a sharp knife near the bone).
8. For the salad, make the vinaigrette. Place the mustard, vinegar and olive oil in a bowl and whisk. Season to taste.
9. When the chops are cooked, remove from the griddle, and put covered on a plate in a warm place for five minutes. Meanwhile, whisk a knob of butter into the sauce to thicken it slightly.
10. To serve, divide the mash among four plates, place a chop on each dollop of mash and pour the mustard and ale sauce over it. Dress the rocket with the vinaigrette and serve on the side.
From an original idea here

The greenery in this dish is provided by using rocket which is sometimes known as Arugula. Now we all know that salad greens are healthy, and that most are very low in calories. However, did you know that not all give you a good dose of nutrients... well Arugula/ Rocket is one leafy green vegetable that stands out as a rich source of many vitamins and minerals.

Consider the difference between iceberg lettuce and arugula/rocket:
Arugula contains about eight times the calcium,
fives times the vitamin A, vitamin C and vitamin K,
four times the iron as the same amount of iceberg lettuce.

The choice is easy... start with arugula/rocket for a healthier salad!

Rocket is a very 'English' leaf, and has been used in salads since Elizabethan times. It has a strong, peppery flavour, and the leaves have a slight 'bite' to them. If you see 'rucola' or 'arugula' for sale or on a restaurant menu - it's the same thing.

Availability:
Available year-round in supermarkets. Rocket is incredibly easy to grow, in fact, it could take over your whole veg patch.
Choose the best:
Look for perky dark-bright green leaves. Avoid those that look slimy, yellowed or browning, as they're past their best.
Prepare it:
Just rinse and go.
Store it:
Store in the bottom part of your fridge, in brown paper or a perforated bag. It will last for a maximum of 2 days.
Cook it:
Mix with other salad leaves, if liked.

We bring a variety of recipe ideas and articles to this blog, and not all may be suitable for you. If you may have any food allergies, or underlying health issues these must always be taken into account. If you are a diabetic and not sure how certain foods may affect your blood sugars, test is best, i.e. use your meter. If you have any concerns about your health, it is always advisable to consult your doctor or health care team.

All the best Jan