Grilled pork chop with white bean purée

Serves 4

I've almost given up on buying pork chops from supermarkets as they rarely taste of much at all, let alone pork. Now a good pedigree piece of pork from a rare breed like Gloucester Old Spot or Middle White is a different story.

Farmers' markets or mail order meat from people such as Pipers Farm (01392 881380/ www.pipersfarm.com) and Northfield Farm (01664 474271/ www.northfieldfarm.com) offer decent pork, as does the occasional serious butcher who will label up the breed so you know exactly what you're buying and eating. The Ginger Pig, Borough Market, London SE1 and 8-10 Moxon Street, London W1 (020-7935 7788) sells some of the best pork around. I used wild boar cutlets from another Borough Market (and Manchester Farmers' Market) stalwart, Peter Gott, which taste great. I've also added some agrette, or monk's beard, to the beans for a bit of texture and seasonal colour, but chopped chives and parsley will do the trick.

4 good quality pork chops or cutlets, weighing about 200-250g each
2tbsp olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
200-250g good quality canned, or jar of white beans like flageolet or haricot beans, drained and washed
1 clove of garlic, peeled and crushed
A couple good knob of butter
1tbsp chopped parsley

Pre-heat a ribbed griddle, heavy frying pan or barbecue. Season the chops and brush with oil. Cook them for 6-7 minutes on each side depending on the thickness, keeping them moist in the middle. You can remove the rind and cook it separately to crisp it up.

Meanwhile gently infuse the garlic in the butter in a pan on the stove and add half the beans and a couple of tablespoons of water. Season them and then whizz them in a blender or food processor to a purée, coarse or smooth depending on how you like it. Return to the pan and keep warm.

Warm the rest of the beans in butter and olive oil, season and add the parsley. Spoon the hot bean purée on to warmed plates, place a chop on top and scatter or spoon the whole beans over.