Crumbed Pork Steaks with a Cheese Sauce

The addition of Hot English Mustard & Worcester Sauce to the Cheese Sauce, makes for an interesting taste

I hesitated to post this recipe, because it isn’t really a recipe as such, and also because the accompanying photograph isn’t that great. So here you go ….

I buy pork steaks from my local butchery in the “big city” (as my actual local butcher does not have electricity but simply hangs a carcass in the open window and you go in and ask what cut/how many kilo’s you’d like – preferably on the day of slaughter ! I should add that I buy meat from him only when I am running short on food for my cat feeding programme.) Okay …. where was I now ? Oh yes, I then wrap the steaks in plastic wrap and pound them lightly with a rolling pin to flatten them and make them bigger. (The plastic wrap prevents things from getting too messy !)

Then I dip them in a mixture of beaten egg, and dip them into breadcrumbs. I buy my breadcrumbs from my local (city) bakery, and season them myself with salt, dried rosemary, thyme and sage.

I then place them on a baking tray, and slosh olive oil all over them (flip them over and do the other side, too) and bake them at 190’C/375’F/Gas Mark 5.

You could fry them on the stove top, but I use this method as it is healthier and when I fry them in a pan, I always find that the crumbed coating sticks to the bottom of the pan and comes off.

I then serve them with a cheese sauce (below) which is a basic cheese sauce with a “twist” !

When I was working at a private Game Reserve in the Hoedspruit area (South Africa) a long time ago, our chef there used to make crumbed impala steaks (he used roughly crushed cornflakes to coat the steaks in place of breadcrumbs) and he also added champagne to the cheese sauce. This was a delicious dish that sort-of inspired my idea for the ‘recipe’ above. (I have yet to add the champagne, though !)

Cheese Sauce with a Twist

2 Tbsp Margarine
2 Tbsp Flour
¼ tsp Salt
Pinch of Pepper
¾ Cup Milk
¾ Cup Cheese (Cheddar works well)
1 tsp Hot English Mustard (optional)
1 tsp Worcester Sauce (optional)

Melt the margarine & slowly add the flour, salt & pepper and blend until smooth. Add the milk, a little at a time, stirring constantly until the sauce is thick & smooth (it may take a little while to thicken). Add the cheese, mustard & Worcester Sauce, and boil for about 2 minutes. Serve hot. (The addition of mustard & Worcester Sauce goes especially well if served with pork).

Lazy Sausage Casserole

It looks a bit dry in the pic, but there is actually a lot of 'hidden' sauce

Do you ever have days where you just couldn’t be bothered to cook but still want a wholesome, tasty family meal in a hurry ? Well then, let me introduce you to an old standby of mine … a simple sausage casserole, made with whatever vegetables you happen to have on hand.

I usually serve this with rice or cous cous, and I often keep a toddler sized portion (or two !) back and freeze it for a quick, nutritious meal for a night when we’re eating non child friendly food (i.e. a hot curry!)

Lazy Sausage Casserole

1 pkt of Pork Sausages, cut into pieces
1 Large Onion, chopped
Garlic Cloves to taste, chopped
1 tin of Whole Peeled Tomatoes
1 large Courgette (Baby Marrow), sliced
2 large Carrots, sliced
1 large Potatoe, cubed
1 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce (optional)
Mixed Dried Herbs, to taste
Salt & Pepper, to taste
A little water

Mix everything together in a large oven proof dish and bake, uncovered at 190’C/375’F/Gas Mark 5 until done – about 45 minutes to an hour.

You can substitute any of the vegetables as you see fit. You can also add 2 tbsps of tomato paste if you’d like more of a tomato hit. Fresh herbs can also be used in place of dried.

(This tastes delicious cold the next day, too.)