Celebrate Spring. with New Zealand Pork, Bacon and Ham

Celebrate Spring with New Zealand Pork, Bacon and Ham

yum! As the weather warms we re ready to enjoy longer days by gathering outdoors with family and friends and what better way to enjoy these moments than with fresh and tasty New Zealand pork. Why not venture outdoors to wake the BBQ from hibernation and get your grill on? We ve got a delectable NZ pork burger recipe that s sure to fill a hungry crowd, or, if you re in the mood for something lighter try out our satay pork skewers. Our pork spring roll recipe is another favourite that uses fresh and seasonal ingredients to create the ultimate mixture of textures and flavours making them light, balanced and super crunchy. Try out our latest and greatest recipes or sample something new this spring with Born and Raised in New Zealand pork, bacon and ham. www.pork.co.nz Light and fresh NZ pork spring rolls are super versatile, and what s more; they re an impressive entrée to show off at your next dinner party. You can also change up the flavours by swapping out and adding in different ingredients and sauces. Vietnamese Style spring rolls Heat oil in a large frypan and sauté 2 finely chopped spring onions and 1 tablespoon each of minced garlic and ginger, until slightly golden. Add 150g of NZ pork mince and cook through. Mix in 2 tablespoons of dark soy sauce and 1 tablespoon of sweet chilli sauce, then set the mixture aside to cool. Take one rice paper roll at a time and soften in warm water. Remember to work fast because rice paper softens very quickly. Place 2 slices of crunchy carrot and 2 slices of fresh cucumber in the centre, as well as a small amount of finely chopped Chinese cabbage. Pork spring rolls Add a heaped tablespoon of the pork mixture, drizzle with a little soy sauce and sprinkle with finely chopped coriander leaves. Fold in both sides and continue to roll until you form a log shape. Serve immediately, or keep in the fridge for a few hours. Makes 8 spring rolls. got leftovers? Replace the pork mince with day-old Chinese BBQ pork or satay pork skewers so simple!

Pork and rocket pasta 500g diced NZ pork 375g dried penne pasta or 1 packet 1 red onion, sliced 3 cloves garlic, minced 300g button mushrooms, sliced Serves 4 Preparation: 10 minutes Cooking time: 20 minutes Juice and zest of 1 lemon 3 tbsp olive oil ½ cup flat leaf parsley, chopped 1 cup rocket leaves 1 cup baby spinach leaves 2 tbsp toasted slivered almonds 2 spring onions, sliced Try replacing almonds with pine nuts and add a drizzle of truffle oil 1 Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil, and boil penne according to packet instructions. 2 While the pasta cooks, heat a small pan to medium heat and toast the slivered almonds until just brown, and set aside. 3 Heat some oil in a large fry pan over medium-high heat, and fry the onion and garlic until golden, then add the mushrooms and cook until soft. Add the lemon zest, chopped parsley, spring onions and cook quickly to avoid burning. Set mixture aside. 4 In a separate pan, cook the diced NZ pork over medium heat for 6 minutes or until golden. Once cooked through, add the pork to the mushroom mixture and toss together. 5 Drain the penne and add to the NZ pork and mushroom mixture, stirring until well combined. 6 Transfer to a large bowl and add rocket, spinach and lemon juice. Add salt and pepper to taste. To serve Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with grated parmesan. For an extra special touch, add a touch of truffle oil to the finished dish. Spring sauces For something different at your next grill try making these herb-based sauces. Just blend the ingredients together until smooth, season with salt and pepper and drizzle over chops, pork steaks or skewers. Salsa Verde 1 cup flat-leaf parsley, 1 cup basil, 1 garlic clove, 2 teaspoons capers, juice of 1 lemon and 1 / 2 cup olive oil. Chimichurri 1 cup flat-leaf parsley, 1 / 4 cup coriander, 2 garlic cloves, 2 thin slices of red capsicum, 1 / 2 cup olive oil, 1 / 3 cup red wine vinegar and 1 / 2 teaspoon ground cumin.

Chinese BBQ Pork Serves 4 Preparation: 20 minutes plus overnight Cooking time: 1 hour 1.5kg boneless NZ pork shoulder, cut into 10cm wide strips 2 tbsp sugar 1 tsp salt 1 tsp five spice powder 3 tbsp soy sauce 3 tbsp hoisin sauce 2 tbsp tomato paste 2 tbsp molasses 2 tsp sesame oil 3 cloves garlic, minced 1 In a large bowl, mix all of the ingredients except the NZ pork together. Set two tablespoons aside for a dipping sauce. 2 Add the NZ pork strips to the bowl containing the sauce, and mix well so that the meat is well coated. Cover and place in the fridge to marinate overnight (or for at least 2 hours). 3 Preheat the oven to 200 C. 4 Place a wire rack in a roasting dish filled with 2 cups of hot water, and lower the NZ pork strips onto the wire rack. Place the pork in the oven and cook for about an hour, removing the pork from the oven after 30 minutes to turn the meat over and baste. 5 Once the NZ pork is cooked, rest for 15 minutes before drizzling with the dipping sauce and serve on a large platter. Always rest meat before serving NZ pork is best cooked from room temperature so always take your pork out of the fridge 30 minutes before cooking. This will reduce the risk of overcooking the outside or undercooking the inside. It s also important to rest your meat. While it s tempting to serve it straight from the pan, resting your NZ pork for at least 3 to 5 minutes allows the muscle fibers to relax, and the juices to be absorbed back into the meat keeping it tender and full of flavour.

Creating your perfect burger NZ pork burgers are tender, tasty and super simple and they re also really versatile, which means you can mix and match ingredients to suit any occasion or flavour combination. Try our pork patties with traditional Kiwi toppings, like beetroot, tomato, lettuce, cheese and ketchup or top with crispy bacon, melted cheddar and herbed aioli yum! Sliders If you re hosting a larger gathering this spring and want bite-sized food for your guests, why not turn these NZ pork burgers into sliders. Simply reduce the size of your patties by half, choose your toppings and serve between mini burger buns. If you re someone who likes to plan ahead of time, you can make our NZ pork patties in advance and keep them in the freezer for up to 3 months. so incredibly versatile The good ol NZ Pork burger Preparation: 20 minutes Cooking time: 10 minutes 600g NZ pork mince ½ cup breadcrumbs 1 tsp smoked paprika Zest of 1 lemon 1 egg 2 gloves garlic, diced 1 large red onion, diced 1 tbsp olive oil 1 large zucchini, sliced into ribbons Mayonnaise 100g feta cheese Large handful rocket leaves Beetroot relish Sliced pickles 1 In a large bowl, mix the NZ pork mince, egg, garlic, breadcrumbs, smoked paprika, lemon zest and salt and pepper together. Using your hands, make 4 even-sized burger patties, and set aside. 2 Heat some oil in a pan over medium heat, and cook the burger patties until brown about 5 minutes each side. 3 Remove the patties, and in the same pan fry the ribbons of zucchini with the red onion and salt and pepper, adding the lemon juice when cooked. 4 Split the buns, brush with olive oil, and grill until golden. 5 To assemble the burger, place the zucchini mixture, rocket leaves and feta down first. Then place the NZ pork patty on top. Drizzle with mayonnaise and beetroot relish if desired.

Pork meatball Spaghetti Serves 4 Preparation: 20 minutes Cooking time: 20 minutes 500g NZ pork mince Olive oil 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped ½ cup flat leaf parsley leaves, finely chopped Finely grated zest of 1 lemon 1 tbsp tomato paste 1 egg 1 packet dried spaghetti sauce 1 onion, diced 3 cloves garlic, diced 2 cups tomato passata or tomato puree 2 tbsp flat leaf parsley stalks, finely diced 1 cup vegetable or chicken stock 1 tsp sugar 1 To make the sauce, sauté the onion, garlic and parsley stalks in a pot with a little olive oil over medium heat. Add the stock and simmer for 5 minutes before adding the tomato puree and sugar. Season with salt and pepper, mix well and simmer for a further 10 minutes. Set aside. 2 In a large bowl, combine the NZ pork mince, garlic, parsley leaves, lemon zest, egg and tomato paste with a wooden spoon or your hands. 3 Place a sheet of non-stick paper on a large baking tray and set aside. Using your hands, take a small handful of the meat mixture and roll into small balls, placing them on the tray. 4 In a deep pan, heat some olive oil over medium-high heat, and fry the meat balls until brown around 8 minutes, turning every two minutes or so. 5 Place the meat balls in the same pot holding the sauce, and simmer for 20 minutes over low heat. 6 While the meat balls are simmering, cook the dried spaghetti in salted water. 7 Drain spaghetti and spoon meatballs and sauce on top. sprinkle with parmesan cheese and fresh parsley

AN INTERNATIONAL FAVOURITE Pork is enjoyed by millions of people from countries and cultures around the world. With its delicious taste, versatility and convenience, it s no wonder pork is found in a variety of international dishes. Check out some fan favourites from across the globe: China Sweet and sour pork UK Pea and ham soup Germany Bratwurst with sauerkraut Mexico Pulled pork tacos with sour cream Italy Spaghetti carbonara Hungary Pork Goulash Austria Pork Wiener schnitzel USA BBQ pulled pork sliders with slaw Pork Parmigiana 4TOP pork CUTS Serves Preparation: 40 minutes Cooking time: 30 minutes 4 x NZ pork leg steaks, 1-2 cm thick Few sprigs fresh basil, leaves and stalks separated, stalks chopped Olive oil 4 cloves garlic, diced 1 onion, diced 2 cups pasatta or tomato puree 2 cups breadcrumbs 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves, finely chopped ½ cup grated parmesan 1 cup grated mozzarella Finely grated zest of 1 lemon 2 eggs, whisked 1 tsp sugar 1 cup plain flour 1 Heat a deep pan or pot to medium heat and sauté the garlic, onion and basil stalks in a little olive oil until soft. Add the tomato puree and sugar, and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and set aside. 2 In a large bowl, combine the breadcrumbs with lemon zest, finely chopped thyme and half the grated parmesan. 3 Lay three plates out on your bench top, and place the flour on one, the whisked eggs on another, and the breadcrumb mixture onto the third. 4 One by one, dip the NZ pork steaks into the flour, then egg and then breadcrumbs, remembering to coat all sides of the pork during each stage. 5 Heat olive oil in a deep pan over medium-high heat, and fry for 4 minutes on each side until golden brown. 6 Preheat the oven to 180 C. 7 Place the NZ pork steaks in a baking dish and spoon over the tomato sauce. Sprinkle over the grated mozzarella, remaining grated parmesan and basil leaves, and bake for 20-25 minutes. serve with dressed rocket salad FOR PARmIGIANA: steaks medallions schnitzel cutlets

Porchetta style spiced Pork Ribeye Preparation: 10 minutes Cooking time: 45 minutes marinade 1kg rolled boneless NZ pork ribeye 6 cloves garlic, crushed 2 tbsp fennel seeds 1 tbsp sage, finely sliced 1 tbsp rosemary, finely sliced 1 tsp crushed chilli flakes Zest of 1 lemon 2 tbsp olive oil Serves 4 1 Preheat the oven to 180 C. 2 Place all the marinade ingredients together in a bowl and mix well, then rub the marinade over the NZ pork ribeye. Place the pork in a deep roasting dish and cook in the oven for 45 minutes. 3 Remove from the oven, cover and rest for 15 minutes. 4 Slice the roasted NZ pork ribeye and serve with salad. Salad to serve In a bowl combine 1 large bag of rocket, shaved parmesan and 1 / 2 cup toasted almonds. In a separate bowl, mix the juice of one lemon with salt, pepper, 2 tbsp olive oil and 1 tsp balsamic vinegar until well combined. Toss the salad ingredients through the dressing ensuring the leaves are well coated. Serves 4 Satay Pork Skewers Preparation: 20 minutes Cooking time: 20 minutes 600g diced NZ pork 8 long bamboo skewers 1 small onion, diced 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 tbsp brown sugar 3 tbsp crunchy peanut butter 2 tsp sweet soy sauce 1 tsp dried chilli flakes 1 cup coconut milk 1 tbsp dark soy sauce Hot water for consistency 1 small bunch coriander 1 Separate the coriander leaves from the stalks, and finely dice the stalks, keeping the leaves for garnishing. 2 Heat a deep pan to medium heat and fry the onion and the garlic until soft. Add the brown sugar and cook until caramelised (about 5 minutes). 3 Add the remaining ingredients (including the coriander stalks) to the pan and stir until well combined. Cook on a lowmedium heat for a further 10 minutes, and season with salt if desired. Take off the heat and set aside. 4 Take the diced NZ pork and thread three to four pieces onto each skewer. Heat some oil in a fry pan on high heat, and fry the pork skewers for 10 minutes, turning half way through. Alternatively, grill the pork skewers in a 180 C oven for 10 minutes or until cooked. 5 Drizzle the satay sauce over the skewers, and serve with rice and fresh coriander leaves.

Remember If your pork does not have the born and raised in New Zealand label you don t know where it comes from. PigCare is a world-leading welfare assurance programme for farmed pigs, developed by Massey University with input from veterinarians, farmers, Ministry for Primary Industries and professional organisations. PigCare is focused on the care, knowledge, expertise, experience and commitment of farmers to provide consumers with the assurance that the welfare of farmed pigs has been well provided for based on a farm audit programme. This accreditation shows the pork products you buy are sourced from pigs that have been born and raised in New Zealand and farmed with care. For more great pork recipe ideas visit www.pork.co.nz or phone 0800 NZPORK (0800 697 675)