Why pork should be ‘specially selected’ and on your shopping list

Specially Selected Pork will be the dish of the day at this year’s Taste of Grampian event. Read on for your pork recipe.

•   About partnership content

The annual food and drink festival, which will be held in Aberdeen’s P&J Live on June 3, is a chance to celebrate high-quality local produce from across the north-east of Scotland. One of the event’s supporters is Quality Meat Scotland (QMS). The organisation, which promotes the red meat sector in Scotland, has come on board with Taste of Grampian as a headline sponsor again this year.

Its main aim at Taste of Grampian will be to showcase how tasty and versatile pork is, but not just any pork, Specially Selected Pork. QMS wants to raise awareness of all the benefits you, as a consumer, receive when buying meat products with the “Specially Selected Pork” logo.

The logo signifies that the pig was born and reared in Scotland and that the pork was processed in Scotland. It is also confirmation that the pigs have been quality assured all their lives.

What can people expect from QMS at the event?

At the one-day event for foodies, celebrity chef James Martin will be cooking a pork recipe with Specially Selected Pork in one of his well-attended cookery demonstrations (which you can buy tickets for on Ticketmaster).

There will also be an opportunity to pick up a recipe book, Tasty Little Guide, produced by QMS. The booklets are designed to share tasty recipes and key facts about eating quality assured red meat as part of a healthy and sustainable diet.

To whet your appetite, below, we have included a pork recipe for Specially Selected Pork and fennel kebabs accompanied by a peach, gorgonzola and walnut salad.

Lesley Cameron, marketing and communications director at QMS, said: “We are delighted to be partnering with the Taste of Grampian event again this year. We are always keen to get involved in food events where we can showcase the importance of choosing quality meat that has been born, reared and processed in Scotland.”

Taste of Grampian is perfect timing

The timing of this year’s Taste of Grampian event on June 3 is ideal for sponsors QMS as it coincides with its summer campaign.

Called Make it InCREDible, the campaign aims to boost awareness of Specially Selected Pork as well as Scotch Beef and Scotch Lamb. The campaign aligns with consumers’ beliefs, bringing credibility and real meaning to ‘Meat with Integrity’.

Throughout June, it will be running a 30-second TV advert promoting the campaign. Look out for it!

Lesley added: “While the important message of a healthy and sustainable lifestyle continues to be at the heart of the consumers purchasing decision, our summer campaign will communicate key messages which align with their behaviour, help them make local, quality and sustainable choices at affordable prices.”

You can find out much more about leading a healthy lifestyle at this year’s Taste of Grampian event.

There’s still time to buy tickets through Ticketmaster. For more information about the food and drink event, visit: tasteofgrampian.co.uk

Why buy Scotch Beef, Scotch Lamb and Specially Selected Pork?

There are four key benefits of buying beef, lamb or pork with the official ‘Scotch Beef’, ‘Scotch Lamb’ or ‘Specially Selected Pork’ labels on the packaging. on the key benefits. You can guarantee that the quality meat will be:

1. quality assured,
2. locally sourced,
3. farmed with care,
4. fully traceable.

QMS works across the UK and abroad to promote, support, develop and protect the Scottish red meat industry. Its quality assurance schemes – which make animal welfare a priority – cover more than 90% of livestock farmed for red meat in Scotland.

For more information on Specially Selected Pork, Scotch Beef or Scotch Lamb visit QMS website Make it Scotch.

Recipe for you to try

Pork and Fennel Kebabs with Peach, Gorgonzola and Walnut Salad (makes 8 skewers/serves 4)

To make the pork kebabs:

• 750g Specially Selected Pork fillet, cut into 3cm cubes
• 1 orange, zest and juice
• 2 tbsps olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
• 2 tbsps fennel seeds
• 1 fennel bulb, cut into chunks
• 1 red onion, cut into wedges

For the salad, you will need:

• 120g of rocket
• Couple of large handfuls of baby spinach
• 4 ripe peaches, destoned and cut into wedges
• 1 tbsp runny honey
• 100g gorgonzola or 100g feta, crumbled
• 70g walnuts, toasted and roughly chopped
• Bunch fresh mint leaves

Ingredients for the salad dressing:

• 3 tbsps olive oil
• 1 ½ tbsps apple cider vinegar
• 4cm fresh ginger, finely grated
• ½ tbsp runny honey
• 2 tsps wholegrain mustard
• Half a lemon, juiced

Method

1. Toss the pork with the marinade ingredients into a large bowl, mixing well so the pork is well coated. Thread the skewers with chunks of meat interspersed with the red onion wedges and fennel chunks. If you have leftover fennel, finely slice it to add to the salad later. Set aside to marinate if you have a couple of hours to spare, if not you can cook them straight away.
2. Make the salad dressing by whisking all the ingredients into a jug. Season to taste.
3. Preheat the BBQ or griddle pan to medium/high. Grill the peach slices for a few minutes on each side until slightly charred and drizzle over the runny honey during the last few minutes of cooking so they are nicely caramelised. Set aside.
4. Next, grill the kebabs over a medium heat, turning as they brown for about 10-15 minutes until the pork is cooked through. Set aside, cover with foil and allow to rest while you assemble the salad.
5. Add the salad leaves to a large serving dish, crumble over the cheese, and add the walnuts and fresh mint leaves. Pour over the dressing and mix well.
6. Serve the kebabs with the salad on the side.

For more recipes featuring Specially Selected Pork, Scotch Beef or Scotch Lamb.