Dear Reader,

Greetings and salutations. It’s almost the end of January; this month has gone quickly. I must be having fun! 

Yesterday while grocery shopping, I noticed these “Coles Made Easy Slow Cooked Pork Belly Slices In Tonkatsu Sauce.”

I have no idea what Tonkatsu sauce is, but I figured it might go with some macaroni cheese.

In case you’re interested, I searched Wikipedia and found some information.

Ingredients

• Coles Made Easy Slow Cooked Pork Belly Slices In Tonkatsu Sauce
• Penne pasta
• Milk
• Plain flour
• Butter
• Gruyère cheese (grated)
• Gouda cheese (grated)
• Swiss cheese (grated)
• Jalapeño pepper (finely diced)
• Spring onion (sliced)

Instructions

Coles Made Easy Slow Cooked Pork Belly Slices In Tonkatsu Sauce

1. Preheat Oven to 220°C fan-forced (240°C conventional).
2. Remove pork belly slices from the packaging and arrange them evenly on a lined baking tray. 
3. Pour the remainder of the sauce from the pouch onto the meat, coating it evenly. 
4. Place the tray in the centre of the oven and cook uncovered for 15 to 18 minutes, or until slices are golden and sticky.
5. Remove from the oven and serve.

Macaroni cheese

1. Boil some tap water in a saucepan*
2. Add some salt and bring the water to a boil again.
3. Add in some penne pasta** and cook according to the maker’s instructions for the recommended time.
4. Drain the water and keep the pasta in a colander
5. Make a roux with equal amounts (by weight) of butter and flour.
6. Melt the butter in a saucier pan and ensure the water has boiled off
7. Add in the flour and whisk for at least three minutes.
8. Make a white sauce by slowly adding full-cream milk and whisking until it has the consistency of cream.
9. Add in grated Gruyère, Gouda, and Swiss cheeses and stir until the sauce is thickened.
10. Fold through the diced jalapeño pepper.
11. Spread the cooked pasta onto a baking tray and pour over the cheese sauce
12. Add the sliced spring onion.
13. Fold through the pasta, spring onion, and cheese sauce.
14. Smooth the top with a spatula***
15. Top the macaroni cheese with some more grated cheese
16. Pop the baking tray into the oven and cook until the cheese has turned to a golden colour

Plating up

1. If everything has gone to plan, a large spoon through the macaroni cheese should be able to slice through and effectively carve out a good wodge**** of macaroni cheese. The consistency should be firm rather than stiff or wobbly.
2. Move said wodge of macaroni cheese onto a dinner plate. Arrange some of the pork belly slices next to it.
3. Give thanks to the Lord and consume with vigour and enthusiasm.
4. The remaining pork and pasta bake should be stored in the refrigerator.

Verdict

For something new, this meal was pretty good. If you live in Australia and shop at Coles supermarkets, the pork belly slices are worth trying. I assume the other supermarket chains like Woolworths, IgA, and Aldi stock something similar.

The macaroni cheese was also pretty good. The jalapeño pepper added a bit of a kick. I reckon a bit of Tabasco® sauce or Sriracha sauce would be good on the macaroni cheese too.

Final thoughts

1. Have you ever tried pork belly and Tonkatsu sauce? Did you like it?
2. Do you prefer the packet macaroni cheese or making it from scratch?
3. Do you add extra elements to your macaroni cheese for a different flavour?

Feel free to leave feedback in the comments block below this post.

*I wondered what pasta might taste like with water from different cities as I was cooking. When I worked in Darwin, a colleague’s partner would have tap water sent from Adelaide because she liked her tea made with water she was used to. I need to cook in different places to see if flavours change with the water.

**I know this is macaroni cheese; however, all I had was penne pasta, and I wasn’t going to purchase macaroni especially.

***I was recently sent a new spatula. A gift from a dear friend. It’s the best spatula I’ve ever handled.

****A large piece or amount of something