Recipe: pork with Kentish apple Verjus

Perton’s Apple Verjus is an aromatic, fresh, tart juice for use in dressings, sauces, marinades and desserts created in Kent by Produced in Kent member Richard Perton, a food innovator with years of experience in the essences and flavourings industry.

Verjus (from the old French meaning green juice) has been made from under-ripe grapes in the Perigold region of France for centuries. However, Apple verjus is a totally new Kentish product, blended from more than a dozen varieties of Kentish apples.

These must be picked at exactly the right stage of ripeness and immediately pressed, bottled and pasteurised to capture all their summer orchard freshness.

It can be added to sunflower or rapeseed oil, with garlic, herbs or mustard to create a great salad dressing or marinade for meat and fish, particularly oily fish such as mackerel.

Pork with Apple Verjus

Serves 4

Ingredients

4 free-range pork chops or loin steaks

6 tbsp Perton’s Apple Verjus

1 fresh chopped and crushed chilli

1 crushed clove of garlic

1 tsp honey

Olive oil , thyme or oregano, salt and pepper

Season the pork well and rub in the garlic and chilli

Place meat in a clean container or food bag and add the Verjus

Refrigerate for at least two hours, overnight if possible, turning once

Pre-heat the grill on the highest setting

Sprinkle olive oil onto a baking tray

Remove the pork from the marinade and place on the tray

Sprinkle with a pinch of dried thyme or oregano (more if using fresh herbs), drizzle with olive oil

Pour the remaining marinade around the pork and grill on a high shelf for 5-6 mins, turn once and grill for a further 5-6 mins.

Remove to a warmed plate and make a jus by adding a little boiling water and the honey to the pan

Re-heat the sauce on the hob and season to taste

To serve, pour the jus over the pork. Great with vegetables or a green salad and saut�ed potatoes.