This dish is a traditional somerset dish which I have cooked numerous time for a number of years and it is ideal for autumn dinner parties, just because it gets dark early it dosen’t mean the end of entertaining.

Pork is full of protein and also has vitamins necessary to burn up starchy foods too. You can trim off the fat to keep down the calories if your counting too. You can serve this delicious favourite with brown rice, mixed veg and not forgetting a glass of dry cider too or try it with new potatoes and peas or even baked potato and salad I’ll leave that choice to you as it has some many accompaniments.

For Pork in Cider sauce you will need: 4 pork steaks from your local butcher or farmshop (the flavour and quality of the meat really makes a difference to a dish like this, plus I like to know where my meat has come from and what its been through), 2 tblsp seasoned flour, 25g butter, 1 sliced onion, 75g sliced mushrooms, 150ml dry cider, worcester sauce, sea salt and black pepper and 4 tblsp cream.

First coat the pork in the seasoned flour, then melt the butter in a frying pan and fry the pork for about 20 minutes until browned on both sides. Remove the pork and put on one side while you fry the onion until soft. Now add the mushrooms to the frying pan and cook for 2 minutes then add the remaining flour and cook for a further minute then gradually add the cider stirring constantly. Remember - If you have a gluten or wheat allergy make sure you use your variety of flour it works just as well! Now season with a few drops of worcester sauce, sea salt and black pepper to taste. As a cook you have heard me say it numerous times that you should be trying your dish and adjust to your taste if necessary. Now return the pork to the pan and cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Then simply stir in the cream and serve immediately.

Another of my favourite herbs you can add to this dish which goes well is tarragon so experiment too. If you like pork why not try my quick and easy spare rib recipe as in my blog spare ribs in a flash or my previous blog sunday lunch best roast pork. If your looking for something special try this pork au poivre recipe in my blog Aphrodisiaces to plan your valentines meal.

There are alot more tips, and great recipes for you to try in all of my blogs so why not use the search facilities to scan over the years to find what your looking for. There is something for every occassion throughout the year and have fun cooking!

One dish which always go down well at a get together party or barbecue are spare ribs. I have to say can’t say I adore them but there appears to be something about getting meshy, sticky and nibbles and small tasty meat fragments off the bones which alot of us love including my son Ed. He loves this quick recipe I developed when the boys get together.

For my Barbecued Spare Ribs your going to need: 1 1/2kg pork spare ribs cut up (talk to your butcher nicely as alot will prepare these for you if you ask nicely), 3 tblsp soy sauce, 2 tblsp branston spicy pickle sauce, 1 tblsp worcester sauce, 1 tblsp good tomato ketchup and 1 tblsp coarse cut marmalade.

For full on tasty ribs and you have the time allow your ribs to marinate overnight or for several hours if you can. Put all the marinade into a bowl and microwave for 1 minute then stir well and leave to go cold before adding the ribs to the marinade and mix well. Cover and refridgerate for several hours or overnight if possible stirring around a few times. Then cover your bowl with cling film and microwave for 10 minutes, baste well and turn over and microwave for a further 10 minutes or until the ribs are tender. Then they are ready to serve with jacket potatoes, spicy wedges, cous cous etc the choice is yours. You could if you want to cook them on your barbecue if you are eating alfresco too.

Whats your favourite marinate? tell us all about it and how you came about it. Alot of the times you may be missing a ingredient and replace it with another one when guests arrive uninvited so to speak. Its then when you need to note your variation as some times its better and you can go on to develop a great tasting version which is how I have developed alot of my recipes over the years. So invest in a little black book for the kitchen to fill with your creations and record results and comments.

See my previous blog summer fruity kebabs put the D in dessert, and my British barbecues perfect recipe for a delicious salmon dish if you love salmon. There are many more to look at do a search on barbecue’s to find all my al fresco recipes.

Fathers day the 3rd sunday in June when we honour our fathers. What have you got planned??

Have the little ones been busy making cards for their special dads & grandpa’s. I had a lovely conversation in my local butchers this week, when the youngman was telling me how much he was looking forward to Fathers day, then proud as punch he showed me this beautiful picture of his little girl literally 2 weeks out. ‘This is my first fathers day’, he said, ‘and I have been told I am going to be spoilt’. It was lovely and I sincerely hope Danielle that you had a super Fathers day!

I always find fathers day very hard, as my father passed away, god bless him. He was a great inspiration and I miss him dearly, as do my children and mother too. So its one of those days when you need to take time out, (and like mothers day) and make sure you honour those special loved ones in our lifes; and in the process have fun too, to build many happy memories as we did and continue to do.

In my oven now is a roast of local pork. I had a large pork loin joint with a large piece of fat not only to cook with it but to crackle of course. I have made some homemade stuffed apples with onion sauce, chateau potatoes, roasted carrots & parsnips and broad beans. All served with a rich traditional homemade gravy.  For dessert I have made a superb apple and strawberry pie, which I am serving with cream or custard, as some of my guests do not like cream.  The smell from the kitchen is enough to make you want to eat the newspaper, and there are rumbling tummies everywhere. Meanwhile too if you want to check our some of my apple pie recipes why not start with this, back in the kitchen we celebrate apple day blog.

All the man are busy sunbathing, while the women have joined me in the kitchen with wine in hand, (although this time I have hidden the tequilla from Aidy!  read my previous blog bbq grills for the sunshine)

For a great Roast Pork Loin: Your going to need -  2-2.25kg/4lb 8oz-5lb loin of pork on the bone, rind removed, 1 garlic clove, crushed, 1 tsp finely chopped fresh rosemary, plus a few extra whole sprigs, 1 large onion, thickly sliced, 2 tbsp cider vinegar , plus extra for gravy, 2 tbsp redcurrant jelly, plus extra for gravy and 500ml vegetable stock. For the apples to go with your pork you will need 50g butter, 1 small onion , finely chopped,1 small lemon , grated zest, 50g fresh white breadcrumbs, 1 tsp finely chopped fresh rosemary needles and 6 good-sized apples , preferably Golden Delicious

Start by making some deep incisions in the pork, close to the bone. Mix together the garlic, chopped rosemary and 1 teaspoon salt. Rub this into the cuts, spreading any extra over the meat. Set aside for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 220C/gas 7/fan 200C. Scatter the onion and a few sprigs of rosemary into a roasting tin. 

Like this great Casa large non stock roasting tray with handles. It is a large non stick roaster with handles made form carbon steel, with 3 layers of non stick spray on this product. The tin is 37 x 29 x 7cm, Dishwasher safe, Weighing 900 grams and comes with a Lifetime warranty. So its perfect for all of those Sunday Roasts your going to treat everyone too!

Put the pork on top, skinned side up, cover tightly with foil and roast with the rind for 30 minutes. Then turn down your oven to 190C/gas 5/fan 170C and cook the rind for a further 30 minutes and the roast joint for a further hour. Now remove the foil and roast uncovered for 20 minutes. Start preparing your apples, by placing the butter in a pan to  melt, then cook the onion gently until soft but not browned, about 10 minutes. Take this off the heat and add the lemon zest, breadcrumbs and rosemary. The season well to your taste. Core your apples, then cut a line through the skin all round the waist of each. Fill each apple with onion stuffing. Mix the vinegar and redcurrant jelly for the glaze. Remove the pork from the oven. Turn the oven to 200C/gas 6/fan 180C. Stand your apples around the pork, brush the pork with a little of your glaze too and drizzle a little over the apples. Return to the oven and roast with the rind also in the oven, uncovered, for a further 20-25 minutes. Baste the pork twice with the juices and brush once with any remaining glaze that you have. Test the pork by piercing in the centre with a skewer. The juices should run clear, not pink. If in doubt, remove the apples, keep warm, cover the pork with foil and cook for 10-15 minutes more. Put the pork and apples on a warmed plate, cover with foil and leave in a warm place for 15 minutes. Spoon off the excess fat from the tin and put the tin on the stove over a medium-high heat, before pouring in your stock. Boil vigorously for 5-6 minutes. Taste and season, adding a little redcurrant jelly and/or cider vinegar to taste. Strain into a gravy boat. Serve the pork and apples with the crackling, garnished with rosemary, with a selection of vegetables of your choice. Delicious!

Take a look at my previous blogs including Sunday lunch best roast pork for more pork roast recipes.