Ingredient: Pork

Paccheri is a type of pasta that is commonly shaped of a very large tube, with origins of this pasta being traced back from Campania, Italy.

We’ve taken this classic pasta dish and given it a culinary twist with the use of butternut squash and chorizo for a comforting warmth of flavours. Remember to add Maldon Salt to your water when boiling the pasta as the salt will add an extra layer of flavour to the water, in which is then absorbed by the pasta when cooking.

  1. Preheat the oven to 180C.
  2. Peel and dice the butternut squash into rough chunks. Place onto a baking tray with the onion wedges and the garlic gloves still in their skins. Drizzle with 1 tbsp of olive oil, some Maldon salt, cracked black pepper and the chilli flakes. Toss them all together and then roast for 15 minutes until the squash is tender.
  3. Cook the pasta according to the pasta instructions in a large pan of salted water.
  4. In a large frying pan add the chorizo and fry until crispy. Once the butternut squash is cooked, remove from the oven, and add it to a blender with the onion and the garlic squished from their skins. Ladle in some of the pasta water and then blitz until smooth.
  5. Tip the butternut squash sauce into the frying pan with the chorizo, then lift the cooked pasta into the sauce, adding some more pasta water if needed so it coats the pasta and turns into a glossy consistency.
  6. In a small frying pan heat 2 tbsp of olive oil, then fry the sage leaves until crispy.
  7. Spoon the pasta into bowls and top with the sage leaves, a drizzle of oil, some cracked black pepper and a good grating of parmesan.

Bao (bow) Buns, also known as steamed buns, are thought to be derived within the Chinese culture as a filled version of ‘Mantou’, which is a steamed dumpling resembling a soft-like textured bread. However, a dumpling is commonly boiled or pan-fried, whereas bao bun’s are to be steamed in either a steamer or a slow cooker.

These buns are utterly delicious, being warm and fluffy in the inside from the sweet, white dough. You can learn how to make the dough from our Sticky Miso Roasted Aubergine Bao Buns recipe, primarily consisting of flour, Maldon Salt, sugar, yeast, milk and a dash of oil.

In this recipe, we fill our bao buns with the succulent protein of pulled pork (boneless pork shoulder), coated in soy sauce, Siracha and honey to add a touch of sweetness. We also combine layers of finely sliced carrot, radish and cucumber to add a layer of crunch for texture.

  1. Start with the pulled pork. In a small bowl, mix the soy sauce, siracha, garlic, ginger, sesame oil, Maldon Salt, and runny honey.
  2. Add the pork to a slow cooker and the pour over the sauce, mixing it well into the pork so it is fully coated. Place the lid on and cook on high for 4 -5 hours.
  3. After this time the pork should be completely tender, and you can shred it with two forks. Toss in the remaining juices and set aside.
  4. Make the pickled vegetables. In a large bowl mix the rice wine vinegar and caster sugar, whisking until the sugar dissolves. Peel the carrot and cucumber into long ribbons, and finely slice the radish, then place them into the vinegar bowl and toss well. Set aside to lightly pickle.
  5. To serve, steam the bao buns until fluffy and soft. Then fill with the pulled pork and some hoisin sauce. Then sprinkle with sesame seeds and some finely sliced spring onions.
  6. Serve alongside the pickled vegetables and some coriander for some extra crunch.
  1. Preheat the oven to 180C.
  2. Use a 12-hole miniature muffin tin and lay the sheet of puff pastry over the top. Use a knife to draw lines between each hole, so you end up with 12 squares of pastry. Gently press each square into each muffin hole so the tips of the square fold out and you have little cups.
  3. Carefully crack each quail’s egg into the pastry cups and season each with some Maldon salt and cracked black pepper. Use some beaten egg to brush the edges of the pastry. Place into the oven for 5 -10 minutes until the pastry is lightly golden and the quail’s egg is set.
  4. While the pastry cups are cooking, fry the streaky bacon until golden and very crispy. When cooked, place onto kitchen paper and allow to cool slightly before chopping into small bacon pieces.
  5. When the quail’s eggs in blankets are cooked remove from the oven and scatter with the chopped chives. Sprinkle over the crispy bacon pieces and serve with a tomato chutney or truffle mayo if desired.

After 30 years in the making, Piper’s Farm has recently released their new cookbook ‘The Sustainable Meat Cookbook: Recipes & Wisdom for Considered Carnivores’. With over 100 seasonal recipes, the book explores the celebration of meat and the ethicality that comes with it. Within the cookbook is the autumnal favourite, the humble Toad in the Hole.

A true classic that makes the perfect midweek meal. We have spruced up this family favourite by adding some beautiful squash to give you an extra portion of delicious vegetables, making the meat go even further. With a good pinch of Maldon Salt, the warming flavours are elevated amongst the succulent sausages. Serve with lashings of onion gravy and you have the ultimate crowd-pleasing dish.

  1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas mark 6.
  2. To make the batter, add the flour to a mixing bowl with a good pinch of Maldon Salt and pepper. Add the eggs and gently whisk in the milk to form a smooth batter. Set aside to rest for 30 minutes.
  3. Place the squash wedges in a wide baking tray with the sausages, a drizzle of olive oil, rosemary, garlic and Maldon Salt and pepper. Bake for 25 minutes until the squash is tender and the sausages are cooked.
  4. To the roasting tin filled with squash and sausages, add the lard and place in the oven to heat up for about 5 minutes.
  5. When the tray is very hot, add the batter and quickly return to the oven. Bake for 30 minutes. Five minutes before the toad in the hole is ready, sprinkle over the Cheddar and return to the oven to melt and bubble.
  6. To make the gravy, add a drizzle of olive oil to a pan over a medium heat and slowly cook the onions for about 25 minutes until fully softened and lightly golden.
  7. Then add the miso paste, Worcestershire sauce and water to the onions. Bring to the boil and season with Maldon Salt.
  8. Serve the toad in the hole with the onion gravy and some seasonal greens.

Pork and apple is a classic combination. Any variety of sharp apple will do here, but the red ones add a beautiful splash of colour to your kebabs.

  1. Cut the pork steaks into 3cm (1 ¼ inch) cubes, dropping them into a mixing bowl as you go. Add the mustard, olive oil and a good pinch of Maldon Salt and freshly ground black pepper. Stir well to coat the meat in the marinade, cover, then transfer to the fridge to marinate for 2 hours, or overnight if you have time.
  2. When you are ready to cook, light the barbecue and set up the fire for direct cooking.
  3. Chop the apples into quarters, remove the cores, then cut each piece in half – you should have 16 wedges. Add the apple to the pork and stir to coat in the marinade. Thread alternating pieces of pork and apple onto the skewers.
  4. Once the barbecue is hot, lay the skewers onto the grill bars a little away from the fire – you want to cook over a moderate heat. Shut the lid and cook for 20 minutes, or until the pork is cooked through; the internal temperature should read 63c (145 F) for medium or 71c (160 F) for well done on a digital thermometer.
  5. Serve with salad leaves and mustard on the side if you like.

Porchetta makes a wonderful alternative to Turkey for your festive centrepiece. Porchetta originates from Italy and is a rolled joint of pork belly stuffed full of fragrant herbs. It is slow cooked for soft tender meat but still with beautiful crispy crackling on the outside. Serve this Porchetta alongside rosemary roast potatoes and fresh sautéed greens.

Begin by prepping your pork. Score the skin of the pork belly with a knife in lines at an angle across the whole skin, then place in the fridge uncovered overnight – this will help dry out the moisture in the skin and ensure you have super crispy crackling.

Meanwhile you can make the stuffing for the porchetta. In the olive oil lightly fry the onion with a pinch of Maldon salt for 5 minutes until softened. Then add the crushed garlic and fennel seeds and fry for another 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and tip into a bowl to cool. Once cooled add the lemon zest, chopped pistachios, sage, parsley, breadcrumbs and season with Maldon salt and cracked black pepper. Mix well and set aside.

Preheat the oven to 200C.

Once you are ready to cook your pork remove from the fridge. Place it on a board skin side down, and then cover the flesh with your stuffing mixture. Using butchers string carefully roll your meat and bind together in 3 or 4 places tightly to keep it in a roll.

Place the rolled joint onto a baking tray and drizzle the skin with olive oil, rubbing it in and then sprinkle liberally with Maldon salt. Place the tray into your preheated oven for 30 minutes until the crackling is crispy and golden. Then turn your oven down to 180C and cook for a further 2 hours. If the crackling begins to look a little too dark, then you might want to cover it with some foil.

After the cooking time remove your porchetta from the oven and rest for 20 minutes until ready to serve!

This is a recipe for a delicious Rum spiced Ham, perfect for the festive period – this could be served on Christmas eve or New Year’s Eve and would be perfect alongside slow cooked red cabbage and dauphinoise potatoes. It is surprisingly easy to prepare and any leftovers make the best sandwiches!

Traditionally, a gammon joint would often require soaking overnight to remove some of the strong salt from the cure. However, more often these days the butchers use cures which don’t require this – check with your butcher first if you are unsure.

Take a large pan, big enough to hold your ham and to the pan fill it up halfway with water. To the water add the black treacle and mix in well. Then add your gammon joint and top up the pan with some more cold water until it just covers the ham. Then add the bay leaves, half an orange, cinnamon stick, star anise, black peppercorns and cloves. Then place on the hob and bring the liquid up the boil and then reduce to a low simmer and let it simmer for 2 hours 30 mins. Keep topping up the water level if necessary, to ensure the ham is evenly covered.

Preheat oven to 180C.

After 2 hours 30 mins remove the ham from the heat and allow to cool slightly before removing carefully from the pan of water.

Place the ham on a large baking tray and using a sharp knife, score the skin in a diamond pattern. In small bowl mix together the spiced rum, 2 tbsp black treacle, Dijon mustard, Maldon salt and 1 tbsp olive oil. Use a pastry brush to rub this glaze all over the ham. Then place into the oven for 15 – 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and brush again with any remaining glaze.

Let the ham rest for 30 minutes before slicing and serving.

This bright summer salad is colourful and packed full of flavour! We use juicy, fresh peaches to compliment the creamy, rich mozzarella beautifully, which leaves a perfect balance between and sweet and savoury.

Grilling your peaches will help to intensify the fruit’s natural sweetness with a gentle light, smoky flavour. Make sure to season well with a pinch of Maldon Salt to really elevate the sweet notes of the peaches whilst cooking on the griddle pan.

Substitutions can easily be made for this dish, such as switching the mozzarella cheese for burrata, halloumi or feta. Instead of using serrano ham, you could use prosciutto or parma ham. If you do not want to to add meat to your salad, we offer a selection of vegetarian-based salads, including a classic caprese salad, made with juicy heirloom tomatoes

  1. Heat up a griddle pan and lightly grease with oil.
  2. Cut the peaches in half and remove the stone. Place the peaches onto the griddle pan and leave to cook for 3 minutes on each side (you want nice griddle lines across the fruit).
  3. Place a small pan of water on to boil, and then boil the broad beans on to cook for 2 minutes until tender. Drain from the water and set aside.
  4. In a small bowl whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, cracked black pepper and pinch of Maldon Salt.
  5. On a large serving platter arrange the wild rocket and then top with the griddled peaches torn mozzarella, serrano ham and scatter around the blanched broad beans.
  6. Drizzle over the lemony dressing and then garnish with mint leaves.

Can this be made vegan?

This dish can easily be made vegan! There are many plant-based cheeses available in supermarkets, including Cathedral City Dairy Free, Violife and Applewood. You can also use nutritional yeast, which is known to be the best alternative to cheese as it closely resembles Parmesan with it’s nutty, rich and slightly salty flavour.

You can replace the meat with Tempeh, which is a high protein-packed product made from soybean. You could also using Tofu, which comes in many different varieties from soft silken to super-firm, allowing you to achieve your most preferred consistency.

How long can you keep leftovers for?

It’s advised that salads are normally okay to consumer for 1-2 days after making, and can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days. However, if you do have any leftover, make sure to keep them in air-tight container or wrapped in shrink wrap before putting them in the fridge, or the meat and cheese will spoil.

Place the saffron in a glass with 1 tbsp water and allow it to steep and infuse.

Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a paella pan, then add the finely chopped onion and red pepper with a pinch of Maldon salt. Cook the onion and pepper for 5 minutes until softened, then add the crushed garlic and chorizo. Fry this for a further 3 minutes until the garlic is soften and the chorizo is sizzling and fragrant.

Next add the smoked paprika and the paella rice. Stir this so it is well mixed with the other vegetables and chorizo and gently fry for a couple of minutes. Next add the white wine and allow this to bubble and mostly cook away before adding the chicken stock, saffron water and chopped tomatoes. Season the mixture with Maldon salt and cracked black pepper, mixing to combine. Now allow the mixture to bubble simmer for 5 minutes before dotting in the monkfish pieces, and then leaving to cook for a further 5 minutes.

After 5 minutes mix in the squid rings and tentacles, the frozen peas and the prawns. Allow these to cook for 3 minutes before finally adding the mussels to the top of the pan. Loosely cover the pan with tin foil and allow the mussels to steam and open up – this should only take 2 minutes.

Once all the seafood is perfectly cooked you are ready to serve. Top the paella with the chopped parsley, a final pinch of Maldon salt and the lemon wedges to be squeezed over. Bring the whole pan to the table to serve your guests.

Preheat the oven to 150C.

Start by prepping the pork. Roughly chop the pork into 1-inch chunks. In a large bowl mix together the fennel seeds, chilli flakes, ground cumin, orange juice and zest, tomato puree, chipotle paste, garlic cloves and salt to make a paste. Add the pork chunks to the paste and toss them so they are well coated in the spices.

In a large heavy bottom casserole pan, heat 1 tbsp olive oil. Add the pork and fry them off on all sides so they are golden brown, and the fat has rendered down – you might need to do this in batches. Once browned, remove with a slotted spoon. Keeping the pan on the heat, deglaze all the sticky bits that have stuck to the bottom of the pan, using 2 tbsp water and 2 tbsp honey. Let this bubble and scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to lift it.

Then add the browned pork back into the casserole dish. Fill the pan with the vegetable stock, it should come up about halfway up the meat but if you need more then top up with water. Place the lid on the casserole and put it into the preheated oven for 2 hours.

While the pork is cooking prepare the pickled onions. Finely slice the onions and place into a small bowl. In a pan heat up the vinegar, sugar and Maldon salt. Heat it gently until the sugar and salt has dissolved, then pour the warm liquid over the sliced onions. Toss the onions and then allow them to sit. They will collapse and soften, turning a wonderful pink colour.

After 2 hours, check the pork. Remove the pan from the oven and using two forks, start to pull the meat apart – some parts will still be a little tough. Once you have pulled as much as you can, place the lid back onto the pan and put it back in the oven for a further hour.

Just before the meat is ready it is time to prepare the rest of the taco elements. In a small bowl mix together the natural yoghurt and chipotle paste. Destone the avocados and slice, then squeeze some lime over them to stop them from oxidising. In a small frying pan, heat up the tacos for a couple of minutes on both sides.

After 3 hours remove the pork from the oven. It should be meltingly soft by now and easy to pull apart with your forks.

Serve the tacos with a dollop of the chipotle yoghurt, some pulled pork, avocado slices, pickled red onions and some coriander leaves. Squeeze over some lime juice and a final pinch of Maldon salt, then enjoy!