Winter's A Coming!! Time For Some Comfort Food! Pork Steaks With Apple Sauce & Red Leicester!

Well today was a chilly one, which led me to thinking I should share with you all one of my favourite, ''Can't wait to get home'' dishes that unfortunately is horribly fattening but oh so yummy and doesn't hurt once in a while. Pork steaks with apple sauce and Red Leicester cheese served with a caramelized red onion mash. It makes my juices flow just thinking about it. For 4 people you will need:-

4 Thick pork steaks. (Make sure the rind is cut off. This can be used seperately to make quick crackling)

2 Eating apples. Cox's works best I find.

4 Thick slices of a good Red Leicester cheese

Olive oil for frying

Salt and Pepper to season.

For the Caramelized red onion mash.

8 Medium sized potatoes. Maris Piper is favourite.

2 Large red onions

 Knob of butter and a splash of olive oil for frying

2 teaspoons of dark brown sugar

Salt & Pepper to season.

Probably best to make the mash first, as this can be reheated before serving. Slice the Onions and place in a lidded frying pan with the olive oil , butter and brown sugar, start to fry on a medium heat turning the onions to cover in the oil and sugar and then cover with the lid and turn the heat down so as not to burn the contents. Fry gently, stirring occasionally until the onions turn a rich brown colour and look a little like melted toffee, take off the heat and set aside.

Slice the potatoes with the skins on and place in a large saucepan, rinse them thoroughly then cover with boiling water and simmer on the stove with a large pinch of salt until soft, drain and then mash with a pinch of salt and a grind of pepper, add the onions and any remaining oil from the pan to the potatoes and with a wooden spoon cream until smooth. Taste and season to suit.

For the apple sauce, peel, core and dice the apples and put in a small covered pan on a low heat with a 50mls of water. Cook until the apple turns to a soft mush and that's ya sauce sorted!

Heat a splash of olive oil in the pan that the onions cooked in and place the pork steaks in the oil to fry gently for at least 8 minutes on one side, resist the temptation to turn them. Season the side facing you with a little salt and pepper and then turn each one over and cook again for another 8 minutes. Now being pork it needs to be cooked all the way through, so with a sharp knife make 2 deep incisions in each steak to check that the meat is cooked all the way through, at this point if you are happy place a spoonful of your apple sauce on each one and then a slice of the cheese. Place under a hot grill until bubbling and serve immediately with the mash. Eat with a really good dry white wine and smile a lot as this plate of happiness warms you to the core!!