Caitríona Redmond: How to make my pork burrito recipe

Plus: upcycling your food, and Irish food lingo that's a chip off the auld block

Caitríona Redmond's pork burrito

As I was sitting at the desk last week I got a phone call from "Mr Checks and Balances" of the Irish Examiner. 

I love these phone calls because they are a chance to share language quirks which can vary from one part of the country to the next, and even from age range and beyond. 

In last week's column I mentioned that I was going to buy a "Chip of Strawberries". I've since discovered that it's not in common use nationally. 

My caller didn't know what a 'chip' of produce was and so we settled on a compromise that more readers would understand.

What's a chip? In Ireland it's a slice of potato that's deep-fried, although if you're from America, that’s a fry. 

A 'chip' of produce however, is a cardboard basket which holds more than 6 punnets. 

The cardboard basket with a shiny metal handle can contain fresh fruit or even spuds. 

In new potato season a chip of fresh baby spuds is sold with a cover of fresh potato plant leaves to protect the contents from sun exposure. 

It's an eco-friendly way to stop new potatoes from turning green.

The cardboard baskets are a larger size, designed for those wanting to eat loads, make preserves or jams. 

The process of jam making or preserving changes the appearance of produce. 

It's good news because I don't require the perfect strawberry to make jam. 

Punnets on the supermarket shelf look lovely but are for eating straight away, plus you'd need many, many punnets to give you the amount of fruit required to make jam. 

Imagine the cost of 8 punnets of strawberries just to make a few jars of jam? 

I'd easily pay €20 on fresh fruit, nevermind the sugar, and it would be cheaper to buy jam from the supermarket shelf.

The farmer selects the best of the best to send to the retailer. This is why berries come at a premium. Those who buy berries in the supermarket look closely at the size, quality, colour, and aroma before picking the perfect punnet. They demand value for money, as they should.

I’ve grown my own fruit for many years so I can tell you with confidence that I grow perfect berries. I also grow fruit that wildly ranges in size, shape, and colour but tastes fine. 

That’s the fruit that wouldn’t appear on supermarket shelves but still makes it to my table. My experience is replicated in farms everywhere; not everything grown meets retail standards but is still edible.

When I go to a farm shop or market I instantly navigate towards the ‘chip’. I know that I can get far better value by weight by buying the large size. Plus, I support the farmer by buying produce that may otherwise not create income for them. It’s a win-win situation.

The next time you’re shopping watch out for the magic cardboard crate with a silver handle. You may just be onto a winner for your budget.

Home Truths

“Don’t throw that out” is a regular refrain in my household. When the meal is finished I’m pulling out bags and boxes to store whatever hasn’t been consumed. 

I measure portions carefully and cook frugally but some days the boys are hungrier so I need to make extra. 

I would rather make too much food and preserve what is left over than have them raiding the cupboards because I’ve not fed the kids enough food.

Even a tablespoon of sauce has a use; combined with grated cheese in the toastie maker, the appliance that is being put through its paces this summer by the teens. 

I didn’t know that a curry noodle toastie was a thing; now I do. Leftover vegetables get crisped on the pan with a fresh fried egg, and bread gets air fried for croutons. Upcycling leftovers is a tasty endeavour.

I had a minor win this week when my refuse bill arrived. I’ve been working extra hard to be careful with composting and recycling. 

It has certainly paid off with a 30% reduction in my bin charges. Sometimes leftovers don’t get upcycled. If your leftovers are beyond redemption, make sure they end up in the compost bin and you’ll still save money.

Caitríona Redmond's pork burrito

recipe by:Caitriona Redmond 

A quick and easy take on an enduring favourite.

Servings

5

Preparation Time

 15 mins

Cooking Time

 60 mins

Total Time

 1 hours 15 mins

Course

 Main

Ingredients

• 1.2kg pork loin

• 1 tsp each of salt, dried cumin, oregano, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, white pepper

• Cherry vine tomatoes, chopped

• 1 red pepper, sliced

• 4 scallions, chopped

• 1 avocado, chopped

• Fresh salad leaves

• Coriander leaves

• Tortilla wraps

• Juice of 1 lime or lemon

Method

1. Preheat a fan oven to 170C. Combine the dried herbs and spices in a small bowl. Place the pork loin into a large oven proof dish. Press the spice mixture onto the pork so that the top is coated. Cover the dish with tin foil (or a lid if you have one).

2. Bake the pork loin in the oven 1 hour and 30 minutes. Take off the tin foil lid for the last 10 minutes of cooking.

3. Once cooked, remove the pork loin from the oven and slice thinly. Serve in tortilla wraps with rice and chopped pepper, tomatoes, scallions, avocado and leaves. Squeeze a little lime or lemon juice on top before eating.

4. Make double quantities of this dish to twist into burritos. Wrap well with foil or baking parchment and allow to cool to room temperature before freezing and enjoying another day.