Harissa Pork Chops with Roast Carrots and Garlic Green Beans

This quick and easy dish packs a real flavour punch. For those of you that don't know, harissa is a Tunisian chilli paste boosted with lots of additional spices and sometimes even rose petals. The flavour is complex but delicious and it works perfectly as a marinade for grilled meats like I have done here.

The pork is also marinated with honey and lemon for sweetness and acidity as well as tenderising the meat. On the side, we have cumin roasted carrots and green beans with garlic and a little more lemon. Low in calories and carbs, this is the perfect healthy meal for lunch or dinner.

Harissa Pork Chops with Roast Carrots and Garlic Green Beans

Serves 4

oil

1 tbsp harissa 

1 tbsp runny honey 

1 lemon, juice only

4 pork chops

4 carrots, sliced diagonally

1½ tsp cumin seeds 

320g green beans

2 tsp garlic granules

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Heat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Make a marinade by combining the harissa, honey and half the lemon juice in a large bowl. Season the pork chops then add to the bowl, turning to coat. Cover and set aside for 15 minutes, or up to a few hours in the fridge. 

Drizzle 1 tbsp of olive oil into an ovenproof pan over a medium heat. Once hot, gently fry the carrots for 10 minutes until lightly golden. Season, stir through the cumin seeds and transfer to the oven for 20 minutes until the carrots are deep golden and cooked through – if your pan isn’t ovenproof, transfer the carrots to a baking dish. Set aside to cool slightly. 

Meanwhile, brush a large non-stick griddle pan or large frying pan with ½ tbsp oil and put over a medium heat – don’t let the pan get too hot or the honey will burn. Place the chops, fat side down at first to render out some of the fat. Then griddle the chops for 6-8 minutes, turning once, until cooked through – if your pan isn’t large enough, you may need to do this in batches. Remove from the pan and transfer to a plate. Loosely cover with foil and leave to rest. 

Boil the green beans for 2-3 minutes until tender then rinse under cold water to stop the cooking. Heat a little oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Add the green beans together with the garlic granules and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Toss together until the beans are lightly charred then squeeze in the remaining lemon juice. Divide the carrots and beans between four plates then serve alongside the pork chops.