Rejoice Always, Pray continually

Do you wish you can take chef Curtis Stone home to cook for you and family? Every time I watch his programme Take Home Chef, I wish so. A friend said she would take Curtis Stone home too, but not to the kitchen.  A naughty wish! Incidentally, the cooking hunk just got married to Lindsay Price, star of Beverly Hills 90210. They had their wedding in Mallorca, Spain.

I have watched many episodes of Curtis Stone' shows like Surfing The Menu, Take Home Chef and Around the world in 80 plates and also have his book,'What's For Dinner?', but yet I have never cooked any of his food. This month Cook Like A Star 'Curtis Stone' is a good and timely start to try his recipes.

This dish Thai Pork Burgers and Pineapple Relish with Snow Peas and Mint Slaw is my first Curtis Stone's dish.  This is also the first time I am making a burger and eating a pork burger.
Most of Curtis's recipes are very doable. The ingredients are simple and inexpensive which are suitable for everyday family meal.
I like everything about this burger meal, especially the Pineapple Relish. It is very refreshing to eat with the pork patties. Pineapple and ginger complement any pork dishes, so if you like ginger, add more in the meat patties and relish. Ginger has a spicy aroma and that brings out the flavour in pork. I was afraid that the pork patties might be dry, but it was not. The trick is to quickly sear the meat on a very hot grill pan to seal in the juices. The Pineapple Relish and vinaigrette dressing has rice wine vinegar. A point to note is that rice wine and rice wine vinegar are two different things.Read this link.

Thai Pork Burgers and Pineapple Relish with Snow Pea and Mint Slaw
Curtis Stone Feed Your Family
Half Recipe (2 meat patties)
Ingredients

For the Pineapple Relish
2 cups diced fresh pineapple, cut into 1 cm cubes ( about 1/2 pineapples)
1/4 cup white sugar
1/4 rice wine vinegar
1/4 cup water
1 tsp finely chopped peeled fresh ginger
1 red chilli, seeded and finely chopped

For the burger
650g pork mince
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped'
1 tbsp finely chopped peeled fresh ginger
2 tsp fish sauce
1 tsp dried red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp sesame oil
1 tbsp olive oil

For the vinaigrette
1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
zest and juice of 1 lime
2 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
3 tbsp olive oil

For the slaw
1 carrot, peeled and julienned (peel thin with vegtable peeler)
100g snow peas, ends and strings removed, julienned (100g steamed green beans, julienned)
1 ssmall pak choy, end trimmed and julienned
1 cup julienned wombok cabbage
1 spring onion
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves
1/4 cup fresh coriander


Method

• For the pineapple chutney, place all ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a low simmer and cook covered until liquid has almost completely evaporated and pineapple is soft, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a food processor and pulse to form a chunky consistency,(No food processor, I like it chunky) reserve.
• Mix all the ingredients for the burger (except the olive oil) in a medium mixing bowl until just combined. Form the mixture into 4 burger patties.
• Preheat a grill pan over medium-high heat and brush patties with 1 tablespoon of oil. Cook patties for 4 minutes per side or until golden brown and cooked through. Remove from pan and rest for 3 minutes.
• For the vinaigrette, whisk all the ingredients in a mixing bowl along with the whites of the spring onions
• Toss all ingredients for the slaw in a large mixing bowl with enough vinaigrette to coat. Mound the slaw onto serving plates, place a burger next to the slaw and spoon the pineapple chutney over. Serve.(used only green beans, carrots, mint leaves,spring onions and coriander leaves)

This post is linked to Cook Like A Star hosted by Zoe from Bake For Happy Kids, 

 Grace from Life Can Be Simple and Baby Sumo from Eat Your Heart Out

This is also linked to LittleThumbs Up 'GINGER' theme hosted by Alvin of Chef and Sommelier and organised by Zoe from Bake for Happy Kids and Doreen from My little favourite DIY

Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18