Sticky Kassler and Potato Cakes

We love German food but it's not always easy to come by.

I decided to have a go at recreating German Kassler (smoked pork loin) to see whether the family would approve.

I decided to serve with Potato Cakes and griddled asparagus.

Take a joint of cured, smoked pork loin. This one was 600g.

Unwrap and place in a baking dish with a couple of centimetres of water.

Melt a knob of butter and brush over the joint. You need enough for a good coating, I used about 20-30g (I didn't weigh it).

Sprinkle over about 1 tbsp of brown sugar and pat down.

Cover the pork with foil and bake at 200 degrees celsius for 30 minutes.

Remove the foil and bake for a further 30 minutes.

If you have a meat thermometer, the internal temperature should be 165 degrees celsius.

Remove from oven and let the meat rest.

I thought a bit of green veg would go well with this, but you can do whatever takes your fancy.

Blanch the asparagus for 3-4 minutes in a pan of boiling water.

Drain.

Heat up a griddle pan with a little olive oil and add the asparagus spears.

Griddle until slightly charred.

I served this with homemade potato