Coffee in a meat sauce? You must think me absolutely insane but please, please, please try this! It’s superb. I first encountered the idea in Steven Raichlan’s Barbecue Bible where he names it in a list of “special” ingredients for marinades. And I have been sold ever since. The sauce doesn’t taste like coffee, it just gives extra depth and the honey adds a sweet hint.
A real meat dish, I have limited the amount of pasta to not make this too excessive. Use the thick part of the pork tenderloin, as you bake it in one go a tapered piece would result in overcooked, dry meat on one end. If you only have a tapered piece, slice the thick part in half horizontally.
Ingredients:
- 190gr pork loin, equally thick all over
- 1/2 tsp sunflower oil
- 2 tsp honey
- pinch of salt
- 35 ml espresso (or very strong coffee)
- 1 onion
- 1 clove of garlic
- 1 tsp butter
- 175gr spinach
- 50gr dried pasta
Serves 1 as part of the Budget Challenge
Recipe:
Heat the oil in a small frying pan. Bake the pork 4.5 minutes per side until brown, but still rosé inside.
Take the meat out of the pan and leave to rest for 5 minutes.
Cook the pasta according to packet instructions.
Chop the onion and garlic.
Melt the butter in a frying pan (you’ll use the other one again) and bake the onion until glassy. Add the spinach and garlic, bake 1 minute and then add the pasta. Season to taste with salt and plenty of pepper.
Meanwhile, heat the sauce – honey, salt and espresso – in the other frying pan.
Cut the pork in 1cm thick slices.
Lay the slices in the pan when the sauce is thick and syruppy.
Bake 30 seconds per side until they have just cooked through and are coated in the sticky sauce.
Place the pasta on a plate. Top with the pork and pour the sauce over the meat.