Pork Chops with Churrasco Sauce and Sherry Vinegar Salad

Make up the spice rub by combining the first six ingredients in a small bowl and mixing. If the chops have a thick layer of fat around the edge, score them deeply, then sprinkle the rub over all the chops on both sides. Leave to marinate in the fridge for a few hours if you have time.

If you have a charcoal BBQ set up, grill the peppers whilst the coals are at their hottest, grilling them quickly till they are blackened and blistered all over. The other way to cook them is to roast them quickly in a very hot oven (225-250C) on a baking tray for about 10 minutes turning halfway through. Once cooked, place in a bowl and cover with a plate to allow them to sweat. When cool, peel the skins off, by holding the peppers by the stalk, then remove the stalk and as many of the seeds as possible. Don’t be tempted to rinse the seeds off under water as you will lose much of the flavour.

Tear into strips then marinate in a clean bowl with the chopped garlic, 2 tsp sherry vinegar, 2 tbsp olive oil, salt and pepper and any leftover pepper juice. Drain the chickpeas of their liquid then add these to the peppers and mix to combine. These are ready to eat now but will benefit from being left to marinate in the fridge for a few hours or overnight.

The easiest way to make the churrasco is to blitz it in a small food processor, or blender. It can be all chopped by hand but will have a coarser texture. Combine the parsley, garlic and half the olive oil and blitz till well chopped but not completely smooth. Add in the remaining oil, sherry vinegar, ground fennel seeds and season well with a couple of good pinches of salt and a few turns of the pepper mill. Blitz again till combined but without over working it. taste and add more salt if needed. Remove and keep in a covered bowl till ready to use.

If cooking the pork on a charcoal BBQ, its best to cook them on indirect heat or when the coals have cooled down a little, as the dripping fat can cause flames to rise and make the meat taste burnt and acrid. Cook the pork for 3-5 minutes on each side, including the skin to get it browned and crisp. The meat is ready when its firm to the touch and has a good colour all over. Allow to rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving, with the chickpea and pepper salad and the churrasco sauce.