Name: Southern-style pork with warm chow chow
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 2
Ingredients: 1 double pork cutlet (700gm), rind on, at room temperature (see note); 60 ml (¼ cup) extra-virgin olive oil; 2 brown onions, thinly sliced; 2 dried chillies; 1 tsp cumin seeds; 2 tsp celery seeds; ½ tsp ground turmeric; ¼ tsp each allspice and caraway seeds; 1 cinnamon quill; 2 bay leaves; 125 ml (½ cup) apple cider vinegar; 55 gm (¼ cup firmly packed) brown sugar; 500 gm green cabbage, cut into wedges; 60 gm unsalted butter, softened; ¼ tsp chilli powder, plus extra for sprinkling; ¼ tsp garlic powder; 2 tbsp lemon thyme, chopped

Traditionally, chow chow is a pickle or relish from North America that is usually made in the Southern states to make the most of a season’s harvest. In this recipe, we’ve incorporated the usual elements of a chow chow relish (cabbage, apple cider vinegar, sugar) but are serving it as a warm salad, rather than a pickle. Serve with some fresh white bread rolls to soak up the leftover juices.

Ingredients

1 double pork cutlet (700gm), rind on, at room temperature (see note)

60 ml (¼ cup) extra-virgin olive oil

2 brown onions, thinly sliced

2 dried chillies

1 tsp cumin seeds

2 tsp celery seeds

½ tsp ground turmeric

¼ tsp each allspice and caraway seeds

1 cinnamon quill

2 bay leaves

125 ml (½ cup) apple cider vinegar

55 gm (¼ cup firmly packed) brown sugar

500 gm green cabbage, cut into wedges

60 gm unsalted butter, softened

¼ tsp chilli powder, plus extra for sprinkling

¼ tsp garlic powder

2 tbsp lemon thyme, chopped

Method

1.Preheat oven to 180˚C. Score rind of pork and rub with half the oil. Heat a large heavy-based ovenproof frying pan over high heat. Add pork, rind-side down and cook until golden and starting to crisp (3 minutes). Turn and cook on each side until golden (4 minutes). Remove from pan and set aside.

2.Add remaining oil to pan and reduce heat to medium, add onion, chilli, spices and bay and cook until tender (4-5 minutes). Add vinegar, sugar and cabbage; season and toss to coat.

3.Place pork on top of cabbage mixture, transfer to oven and cook until cabbage is just tender and pork is cooked through (20-25 minutes). Set aside, loosely covered to rest.

4.Mix butter with chilli, garlic powder and thyme; season to taste. Spoon butter over pork and serve.

Double pork cutlets are a thicker cut with bone still attached; ask your butcher to prepare. If unavailable, substitute two 350gm pork cutlets.
Notes

Recipe by Jessica Brook Recipe Writer and Food Stylist

Jessica’s culinary journey has covered every corner of the food world as a professionally trained chef, recipe writer, food editor, food consultant and stylist. With over 16 years of experience, Jessica has worked across many of Australia's most prestigious food titles, including Gourmet Traveller, Martha Stewart, Donna Hay, and Vogue Entertaining & Travel. When it comes to food, Jessica's all in. With a genuine passion for flavour and a deep appreciation for its diverse cultural influences, Jessica excels in crafting engaging food stories and creating unique recipes. Her style? Tasteful simplicity that highlights the essence of ingredients and heartfelt cooking. You could say she's a bit of a food fanatic, bringing her own unique touch to every dish she creates, particularly in her contributions to Gourmet Traveller through which her dishes resonate with readers seeking new and inspiring culinary experiences.

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Styling by Steve Pearce

Ingredients

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