Nigel Slater’s midweek dinner: grilled pork, plum chutney

Serves 2. Ready in 40 minutes.

Peel, halve and slice a large onion into thin segments. Pour 1 tbsp of olive oil into a deep saucepan, stir in the sliced onion and leave to soften over a moderate heat.

Remove and discard the stones from 500g of ripe plums then stir them into the onion and leave them to cook for about 20 minutes, stirring regularly. Season with 6 lightly crushed juniper berries, 2 cloves, 3 tbsp of soft, brown sugar and a half tsp of salt.

Grind in a few twists of black pepper then pour in 3 tbsp of red wine vinegar. Stir the mixture regularly until it is soft and jammy. Get an overhead (oven) grill nice and hot.

Brush 2 large pork chops with oil and season with salt, black pepper and a generous sprinkling of za’atar. Grill the chops until the fat is clear and golden and the pork is cooked through. Let them rest for 5 minutes then serve with the plum chutney.

• A green vegetable would be good with this. Spinach, briefly steamed and tossed with a little lemon juice and olive oil would be my first choice. Or some roast potatoes tossed with rosemary and garlic.

• This chutney is outstanding with game birds too. Roast partridges or grilled quail would be perfect.

• Once the local plum season is over, it is even worth making this recipe with those dark imported plums that otherwise tend to disappoint. They respond well to the heat and the addition of sugar and vinegar.

Photograph by Jonathan Lovekin