Grilled Spiced Chops on a bed of beetroot barley risotto
2 pork chops

olive oil

seasoning (sea salt, black pepper, smoked paprika)

150gms pearl barley

1 onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, sliced

2 raw beetroots (not too large)

horseradish sauce

dill, chopped (dried or fresh)

Firstly, put the pearl barley in a pot, cover with cold water and bring to the boil. Simmer gently until barley is al dente, drain and set aside. Meanwhile, put the beetroot in another pot, cover with cold water, bring to the boil and simmer until tender. For medium sized beets, this should take about 25 minutes. Drain and set aside to cool. When they are cool enough to handle, peel them and grate them coarsely.

Heat a couple of tablespoons of olive oil in a heavy-based pan. Sauté onions and garlic in the oil until translucent, then add pearl barley and stir to mix. Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper and add the dill (about 1 tablespoon of fresh or 1 heaped teaspoon of dried).When heated through, add the grated beetroot and a heaped teaspoon of horseradish sauce. Stir fry until all ingredients are mixed through and hot. Check seasoning and adjust if necessary. If the mixture seems too dry, add a splash or two of water, cover the pan and leave for a couple of minutes for the steam to be absorbed.

Meanwhile, remove the bone from the chops and cut through the rind at 25cm intervals. Season on both sides with sea salt, freshly ground black pepper and smoked paprika. Heat some olive oil in a good non-stick pan and brown the chops on each side to seal in the juices. Transfer to the grill and grill for about 5 minutes each side or until chops are cooked through.

To serve, make a flattened mound of the risotto on each plate and place one chop on each mound. For extra moisture, pour the pan juices over the chops.