Still no working oven!
(En principe—ne competez pas vos poules avant qu’elles sont éclorés–on ne sait jamais!–there’s someone coming to fix it on Monday–or so we’re told!)
A chance to see how this dish, a regular favorite (it features in my first cookbook–Delicious Dishes for Diabetics), does when cooked on top of the stove–on a very diffused heat.
Normally it cooks slowly in a low oven for two hours and comes out sweet, tender– so easy to do.
So a minor experiment.
Adapted from the talented Frances Bissel’s book The Pleasures of Cookery–it uses spare rib chops–which stay succulent during the long cooking.
(Not to be confused with spare ribs from the belly of the pig; spare rib chops come from the neck end of the pig and are sweeter. They are also reasonably priced.)
for 4
4 spare rib chops/echine in France
2 400gms/16oz tins/bottles of white beans
1 onion— sliced
1 stick celery — sliced
2 juicy oranges
1 teaspoon of coriander seeds
1/4 pint/150ml stock–I use organic vegetable stock cubes, but it’s a question of taste.
salt and pepper
A handful of chopped fresh coriander or parsley.
Set the oven to 160C/320F–if you are lucky enough to have an oven that works!
Spread the beans over the bottom of the oven proof dish in which you will serve the finished dish.
Brown the chops in a non-stick pan and lay them on top of the beans.
Lightly brown the onion and celery in the same pan.
Spread them over the chops.
Cut some strips of rind from an orange, avoiding the white pith.
Bury these among the chops and beans.
Squeeze the juice from two oranges and pour it over the chops.
Pound the coriander seeds and sprinkle them over.
Add the stock and cover the pan.
Cook in the middle of the oven for 2 hours–(or as I am doing tonight, on a very low heat on top of the stove for the same period).
Check after an hour to ensure that there is enough liquid–but be careful not to add too much or the concentrated taste of the sauce will weaken.
Season with salt and pepper when it’s cooked.
A green vegetable–steamed broccoli with olive oil–is a nice winter accompaniment.
Sprinkle with chopped coriander or parsley.
It worked just as well cooked slowly on top of the stove in a covered dish!
I’m thinking of getting rid of the oven!
Robin Ellis 
Love this one…..there must be something you need an oven for….can’t think of anything at the moment though!!!
This sounds SO, so good! (And good luck with your oven, Robin.)
Just hope the man from Albi arrives Monday, Chris.
I don’t think you would be happy without an oven. Good luck on Monday…
Can’t help thinking you are enjoying the challenge of cooking without an oven … temporarily.
Seriously, it’s great to see how versatile the recipes are with limited cooking facilities. For holiday meals for example 🙂 Truly inspiring as always Robin.
Hope you are getting some nice Spring sunshine this weekend
Tina
Today is beautiful.
My mouth is watering pass the knife and folk please, hope your oven is working soon, it must be hell trying to cook without it.
It’s fun to read about your adventures without an oven!
Have you tried a Dutch oven? That’s the first thing I thought of when reading this recipe; it would be perfect. Set atop a small wood-burning stove (or a well-tended campfire!) a Dutch oven can do almost anything a conventional oven can. It just takes a bit more imagination and ingenuity!
Thanks, Linda–I’ll check it out.
A Swedish cook used hay to cook some scallops . Last week on TV. I also learnt that you can eat wild rose petals by grilling them. That was done by the famous Noma restaurant chefs in Copenhagen.
They’ve gone back to a more natural way of cooking.
Just purchased Pork Chops so this is perfect but glad my oven is working
Wow, Robin, how did I miss this one in the cookbook? I prob’ly got scared by the 2 hr. cook time–we did eat a little late, tonight–but it was WELL worth the wait! Gene said to make sure to tell you how delicious it was! Tender & tasty!
PS: Gorgeous day in New England, today, but the massive snow storms & plowing have wreaked havoc with the roads…not a decent stretch of tarmac left in the state! Was thinking Ross had a more comfortable ride on his way home in that carriage In the opening scenes of “Poldark”! 😉
Cheers & hugs!
Nice to discover something that’s been lying low in a well known place!–glad you enjoyed it.