Jerk pork chops with rice and peas

Step 1

To make the marinade, put all the marinade ingredients into a food processor or blender, except the pork and salt, and blend until you have a fairly liquid paste. Put the pork chops in a bowl and season with the salt, then pour over the marinade. Cover and leave for at least a couple of hours, preferably overnight. If you are leaving the meat overnight, transfer it to the fridge.

Step 2

When you are ready to cook the chops, either heat your grill to medium-high or prepare a barbecue. Grill the chops on each side for 3–5 minutes on each side, depending on their thickness, then leave to rest for a few minutes.

Step 3

For the rice and peas, heat the oil in a large saucepan or casserole. Add the onion, and fry until soft and translucent. Add the garlic, thyme and rice and stir until the rice looks glossy.

Step 4

Add 700ml/1¼ pint of water and the coconut cream, along with a generous amount of seasoning. Bring to the boil, cover, and reduce the heat to a low simmer. Cook for 10 minutes, then stir in the gungo peas.

Step 5

Cook for a further 5 minutes, then remove from the heat and leave covered for another 10 minutes. Fluff up, and serve with the pork.