Karen Wright: New book prompts me to try new recipes

This book is a compilation of recipes contributed to the book by eighteen food influencers, including me. The book is called The Social Kitchen and it can be purchased from my website www.karenwrightbakes.co.uk or at Darling Reads bookstore in Horbury.

I wanted to try out some of the recipes from the other contributors. A few days ago, I made steak with fire roasted chimichurri by Jack Rowbottom (@jacksmeatshack) and yesterday I made the sweet chili pork by Lindsey Willis (@slimming.gym.and.gin). Oh my goodness, both were great and very easy to make!

The sweet chili pork was made in the air fryer but can be cooked in a regular oven too. The sticky, glossy glaze was sensational and made with three ingredients straight from the store cupboard. This is what I did.

I bought a pork loin from Aldi, which was very good value and very lean. I rubbed the pork all over with smoked paprika and garlic salt and placed it in an ovenproof dish. Then I cooked it in the air fryer on 180c for fifteen minutes. While the meat was cooking, I made the sauce by mixing 4 tablespoons of sweet chili sauce, 2 tablespoons of soy sauce and 1 tablespoon of sriracha sauce together. When the fifteen minutes was up, I poured the sauce over the meat and cooked for a further five minutes. The meat needs to be rested for five minutes before slicing. I garnished my pork with rings of red pepper and scattered over some coriander.

The pork would go very well with rice but as my husband is not keen on rice, I made a side of Venetian potatoes. The recipe for this comes from my own book Meals on the Move: A Campsite Cooking Journey, which is available on my website to pre order now!

Next week I will be writing about an upcoming event at Harrogate. The event is The Great Holiday Home Show and it will take place over the weekend of 8-10 September. There is so much happening at this event with lots of interesting speakers and demonstrations. I will also be sharing some of the recipes that I will be cooking at the show, it is a busy time just now for sure!

Also, as a date for your diaries I will be chatting on BBC Radio Leeds on Sunday 3 September at 11.40am and again on Wednesday 6 August at 10.40am.