Jerk-spiced pork chops with sweet potato salad

Any leftover jerk-spiced marinade from this recipe can be stored in the fridge for a few days. You can use it with any grilled meat or fish, and it’s great any time of the year.

Credit: Spice Trip

• serves

  4

• prep

  20 minutes

• cook

  20 minutes

• difficulty

  Mid

Ingredients

• 4 150 g (5oz) free-range pork chops
• lime wedges, to serve

Marinade

• 1 tbsp allspice berries
• 1 tbsp black peppercorns
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ nutmeg, freshly grated
• ¼ bunch thyme, leaves picked
• 5 spring onions, roughly chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
• 1 scotch bonnet or other very hot chilli, deseeded and roughly chopped
• 1 tbsp dark brown sugar
• 2 tbsp dark soy sauce
• 1 lime, juiced
• sea salt

Sweet potato salad

• 4 sweet potatoes, halved
• 4 sprigs thyme
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• olive oil, to drizzle
• ¼ red onion, roughly chopped
• 1 large tomato, roughly chopped
• 1 small bunch coriander, leaves picked and roughly chopped
• 1 small bunch flat-leaf parsley, leaves picked and roughly chopped
• 1 lime
• freshly grated nutmeg, to taste

Marinating time 4 hours

Instructions

Using a pestle and mortar, grind the allspice and peppercorns to a powder, then add to a food processor along with the cinnamon, nutmeg, thyme, spring onions, garlic and chilli. Blend to a paste, then stir in the sugar, soy sauce and lime juice. Pour the mixture into a large bowl, then add the pork and rub the marinade into the meat along with a little salt. Cover and leave to marinate for at least 4 hours, or overnight.

For the sweet potato salad, prepare the sweet potatoes by placing a thyme sprig between each half. Sprinkle over a little salt and drizzle with a little oil, then wrap tightly in foil. Heat a barbecue or chargrill pan so that it’s nice and hot, but not searing. If using a charcoal or wood-fired barbecue, place the potatoes in the hot coals and put a few pieces of coal on top; they'll bake really nicely in about 20–25 minutes. If using a chargrill pan, place the potatoes in a 220°C (Gas 6) oven for 20–25 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook the chops for 4 minutes each side. Keep warm and leave to rest for a couple of minutes while you finish off the potatoes.

Remove the sweet potatoes from the foil and discard the thyme. Roughly chop up the sweet potatoes and add a good pinch of salt and pepper. Stir in the chopped onion, tomato and herbs and squeeze in the lime. Add a good grating of nutmeg. Serve with the pork chops, putting a wedge of lime on each plate.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.