Malaysian-Spiced Barbecue Pork Fillet with Pineapple Salsa

Pork fillet is lean, tender and full of flavour when treated right

Malaysian-Spiced Barbecue Pork Fillet with Pineapple Salsa

PREP TIME

80

MINUTES

COOKING TIME

30

MINUTES

Ingredients

  • 2 pork fillets, trimmed of sinew

  • 2 shallots, peeled and chopped

  • 1 garlic clove, peeled and chopped

  • 2 dried red chillies, soaked in warm water until soft, deseeded and chopped

  • 1 lemongrass stalk, tough outer leaves and base removed

  • 1 knob of fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated

  • A glug of sesame or peanut oil 200 ml coconut milk

  • 2 limes, juiced

  • 1 heaped tsp brown sugar

  • 1 pinch of salt

  • For the salsa 1/2 a pineapple, peeled, cored and finely diced

  • 1 red chilli, finely chopped

  • 1 small red onion, very finely diced

  • 1 handful of fresh mint leaves, finely sliced

  • 1 lime, zest and juice

  • 1 drizzle of runny honey

  • 1 pinch of salt

  •  

Method

  1. Make the marinade: In a food processor, blitz 2 shallots, peeled and chopped, 1 garlic clove, peeled and chopped, 2 dried red chillies, soaked in warm water until soft, deseeded and chopped, 1 lemongrass stalk, tough outer leaves and base removed and 1 knob of fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated into a paste. Heat sesame or peanut oil in a heavy-based pan and stir in the paste. Cook for 2–3 minutes until fragrant. Add coconut milk, the juice of 2 limes and 1 heaped tsp brown sugar, bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 5 minutes until slightly thickened. Season with 1 pinch of salt and leave to cool completely.

  2. Marinate the pork: Slice 2 pork fillets, trimmed of sinew into bite-sized pieces , you should get around 8 pieces per fillet. For those of you not familiar with trimming pork, the sinew I refer to is the silver skin surrounding the fillet , this should be removed with a sharp knife. Place in a shallow dish or zip-lock bag and coat thoroughly with the cooled marinade. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, but ideally overnight. Pork fillet is a lean cut with little fat, so a longer marinade really helps drive in flavour and keep it moist on the barbecue.

  3. Thread the skewers: When ready to cook, thread the marinated pork onto skewers. If using wooden skewers, remember to soak them in water for at least 30 minutes beforehand — this makes them less brittle on the BBQ.

  4. Make the pineapple salsa: Combine fresh pineapple peeled, cored and finely diced, 1 red chilli, finely chopped, 1 small red onion, very finely diced and 1 handful of fresh mint leaves, finely sliced in a bowl. Lightly zest the lime and add then squeeze over the lime juice, with a drizzle of runny honey and season with a pinch of salt. Toss well and set aside at room temperature for at least 15 minutes. It should be sweet, sharp and a little fiery.

  5. Grill the skewers: Heat the barbecue. Grill the skewers, turning after 5 minutes, for 10-12 minutes in total until nicely charred all over and just cooked through. Do not overcook; pork fillet goes from juicy to dry very quickly. It should be slightly blush pink in the centre 6. Serve: Spoon the fresh pineapple salsa generously alongside or on top of the skewers. Serve with rice or flatbreads.

  6. Fregola Salad with Pan-Fried Halloumi, Peaches, Summer herbs and spinach Discovered on a family holiday in Sardinia, fregula, a toasted pasta, has a wonderful nutty, slightly chewy texture that soaks up dressing beautifully. I was so enamoured with it that I brought home kilos of it home in the boys' luggage. Thankfully it is now available in Ireland. If you can’t find it, you can use whole grain rice. I am a huge fan of halloumi, it's nearly always in my fridge. and is a great back-up ingredient for a mid-week supper.

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