Herb crusted pork steaks

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C grill.
2. Pat the pork steaks dry with a paper towel and season both sides.
3. Heat olive oil in a pan over a medium heat and sear the pork steaks for 3 - 5 minutes each side. Remove from the pan and set aside to rest.
4. Combine the breadcrumbs, parmesan, parsley, thyme, salt and pepper, olive oil and lemon zest in a bowl and mix well.
5. Place pork on an oven tray. Brush one side with dijon mustard and sprinkle with the herb breadcrumbs.
6. Grill for 5 - 7 minutes until the breadcrumbs are golden and crispy and the pork is cooked through. Keep an eye on them to ensure the crumb doesn’t burn. Remove from the oven and set aside to rest for at least 2 minutes.
7. Serve the pork with orange kūmara mash, sautéed greens, a squeeze of lemon and a dollop of dijon mustard.

Top tips:

1. Pork sirloin tends to be a leaner cut so cooking over high heat briefly helps lock in the moisture, before they are finished in the oven.
2. Ensure your pork steaks are about the same size and thickness (ideally 2cm) so they all cook evenly without drying out. If the steaks are too thick, flatten the steaks slightly with a heavy based saucepan before cooking.
3. Resting the meat is important, as it allows the juices to absorb back into the meat so it doesn’t dry out.
4. Panko breadcrumbs give a crispier texture than regular breadcrumbs, but wholemeal or leftover bread crusts made into breadcrumbs can also be used. The texture will be slightly denser but still tasty.
5. Dried herbs can be used instead of fresh, but reduce the amount to 1 teaspoon each, as the flavour will be stronger.
6. Top the cooked steaks with any leftover breadcrumb mix for extra crunch—this can be toasted with the pork in the oven, during the last 2 minutes.
7. Parmesan cheese adds flavour and helps the breadcrumbs bind to the pork—you can substitute this with dairy-free parmesan alternatives or add chopped nuts with extra mustard.
8. Save any leftover lemon zest and juice for the orange kūmara mash to give extra flavour.
9. Dijon mustard adds a tangy and creamy flavour to the pork—you can also use yellow mustard mixed with mayonnaise for something similar.
10. Cooked pork should be eaten within 2 hours of cooking or stored in an airtight container in the fridge, then eaten within 3 to 4 days. You can eat leftovers cold in a salad or roll the next day, or reheat to 75℃ (or until piping hot) before eating.