David Herbert’s recipes: Braised pork with apples, Kelly’s apple cake

New season apples are this week’s inspiration for a delicious braised pork dish and apple cake.

Braised pork with apples. Picture: Guy Bailey

New season apples are this week’s inspiration. I have used Granny Smiths, but most crisp varieties are fine. The cake recipe (pictured on the Contents page) came from a reader.

Braised pork with apples

2 thick pork chops, bone in

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 rashers bacon, sliced

1 leek, thinly sliced

1 cup cider

2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and grated

Pat chops dry and season with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a casserole over a medium-high heat. Add chops and cook until lightly browned; remove. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of fat from pot. Add bacon and leek and cook, stirring, for about 5 minutes. Pour in cider, increase heat to high and stir to remove any brown bits from bottom. Return chops and add apples. Reduce heat to low and simmer gently until meat is tender and apples are soft, about 30 minutes. Serves 2.

And to drink… Rustic cider: St Ronans Methode Traditionelle ($25, Yarra Valley).

Kelly's apple cake. Picture: Guy Bailey

Kelly’s apple cake

3 Granny Smith apples

½ cup raw sugar

3 cups self-raising flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

4 eggs

2 cups caster sugar

1 cup vegetable oil

¹⁄³ cup orange juice

Grease and line the base of a 24cm round cake tin. Peel, quarter and slice apples thinly into a bowl and toss with raw sugar. Sift flour, baking powder and cinnamon into another bowl; add a pinch of salt. Put eggs in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat until foamy. Add caster sugar slowly while beating until mix is thick and fluffy. Add oil slowly until well blended. Fold in dry ingredients, half a cup at a time and alternately with the orange juice, until smooth. Spoon a third of the mix into cake tin. Drain apples and arrange half over batter. Repeat layering, ending with batter on top. Bake in a moderate oven for 60-75 minutes or until top springs back. Cool before removing from tin. Serves 8

And to drink… Sweet cider: Mock Red Hill ($5, 330ml, Mornington Peninsula).