PERFECT ROAST PORK

This recipe will produce crackling like you remember and ensure mouth-watering and moist meat.

INGREDIENTS

1 boned and rolled leg or shoulder of Free Range Rare Breed Pork
Maldon Sea Salt and Freshly Cracked Pepper

METHOD

  1. Pre heat the oven to 230C
  2. Ensure the skin of the joint is scored well with a Stanley knife making small incisions through the skin into the layer of fat but not through to the flesh
  3. Dry the skin well with kitchen paper and weigh the joint
  4. Season the joint well and place in a roasting tin
  5. Place the joint into the oven for 25 minutes
  6. Then reduce the oven temperature to 160C and roast for a further 30 minutes for every 500g
  7. Remove from oven, cover with foil and allow to rest for no less than 30 minutes


PORK CHOPS WITH APPLE AND CIDER CREAM SAUCE

INGREDIENTS

50 g butter
Olive oil
4 boneless pork loin chops
Seasoned flour
1 tbs chopped fresh thyme
1 large onion, sliced into thin rings
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 Cox apple, cored and cut into thick rings
1 red apple, cored and cut into rings
1 tbs caster sugar
salt and pepper to taste
400 ml dry cider
400 ml chicken stock
75 ml double cream

METHOD

  1. Preheat oven to 190C
  2. Coat the chops in the seasoned flour
  3. In a large heavy skillet, over medium-high heat, melt half of the butter with a little olive oil to stop the butter burning. Fry the chops on both sides until a nice golden colour. Transfer the chops to a casserole dish with a lid, and sprinkle with the thyme
  4. Melt the remaining butter in the pan with a little olive oil, and fry the onion and garlic until tender. Transfer to the casserole dish
  5. Fry the apple rings in the pan for a few seconds on each side to give them colour, transfer to the casserole dish and sprinkle with the sugar
  6. Poor off any excess fat from the frying pan and pour in the cider. Stir to remove any bits from the bottom. Bring to a simmer and reduce by half
  7. Add the stock and again reduce by half then pour over the pork chops and apples in the casserole. Season with salt and pepper and put on the lid
  8. Place covered in the oven for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the chops are cooked through. Remove the chops and apples to a serving platter and stir the cream into the juices. Serve sauce over pork chops


SLOW ROASTED PORK WITH FENNEL

Serves 4

The flavours in the herb pesto complement the meat very well, they add more herby flavour to the already cooked meat - and the addition of mint to the pesto adds some freshness to it rather than making it too overpowering.

INGREDIENTS

small, whole shoulder of pork (skin on)
½ garlic clove, peeled
110g/4oz fennel seeds
sea salt and pepper
5-6 small dried red chillies, crumbled
5 lemons, juice only
3 tbsp olive oil
For the pesto:
1 tsp basil
1 tsp mint
1 tsp parsley
1 clove garlic
2 tbsp toasted pine nuts
1 lemon, juice only
olive oil, to mix
seasoning

METHOD

For the pork:

  1. Preheat the oven to 230C/450F/Gas 8. Using a small, sharp knife, score the whole skin of the shoulder with deep cuts about 5mm/¼in wide.
  2. Smash the garlic with the fennel seeds, then mix with salt, pepper and chilli to taste. Rub and push this mixture into and over the skin and all the surfaces of the meat
  3. Place the shoulder on a rack in a roasting tin and roast for 30 minutes or until the skin begins to crackle up, blister and brown. Turn the shoulder and pour over half the lemon juice and 2 tbsp olive oil
  4. Turn the oven down to 110C/225F/Gas ½ and leave the meat to roast overnight, or all day (from 8 - 24 hours). Turn over occasionally and baste with extra lemon juice and if necessary a little oil
  5. The shoulder is ready when it is completely soft under the crisp skin. You can tell by pushing with your finger - the meat will give way and might even fall off the bone. Serve each person with some of the crisp skin and meat cut from different parts of the shoulder. Add extra lemon juice to deglaze the pan and spoon this over
  6. Make the pesto: mix all the ingredients in a blender and serve
  7. Serve with batons of roasted carrots and parsnips which have been tossed in a little olive oil and honey and roasted for about 30 minutes at 200C/400F/Gas 6


SLOW-COOKED PORK BELLY, CREAMED CABBAGE WITH PANCETTA, CARAMELISED APPLE WITH SAGE AND MUSTARD SAUCE

INGREDIENTS

For the slow-cooked pork belly
4 tbsp vegetable oil
1 x 1.5kg/3lb 5oz whole pork belly, bones removed
1 x 750ml/1 pint 7fl oz bottle white wine
500ml/17½fl oz chicken stock
½ bunch fresh thyme, roughly torn
½ bunch fresh sage, roughly torn
For the caramelised apples
40g/1½oz butter
2 Cox's apples, cored and halved horizontally
For the creamed cabbage and pancetta
large knob of butter
150g/5¼oz pancetta cubes
1 carrot, finely chopped
1 Savoy cabbage, core removed, leaves torn into 2cm/1in squares, blanched in a pan of boiling water for 1 minute and refreshed in iced water, drained
1 celeriac, finely sliced
200ml/7¼fl oz chicken stock
150ml/5¼fl oz double cream
For the mustard cream sauce
800ml/1 pint 8¾fl oz strained cooking liquid (from the slow-cooked pork belly above)
250ml/8¾fl oz double cream
2-3 tbsp wholegrain mustard, to taste

METHOD

  1. Preheat the oven to 150C/300F/Gas 2
  2. Heat the oil in a large frying pan until smoking. Place the pork belly into the pan and brown on all sides. Remove the belly and place in a deep roasting tray, skin-side up
  3. Add enough of the wine and stock to cover three-quarters of the belly. Add the thyme and sage. Place in the oven and cook for about 90 minutes, or until the meat becomes soft to the touch
  4. Remove the pork belly then strain the juices through a fine sieve into a clean pan and set aside
  5. Place the belly into a clean roasting tray. Place another tray on top to weigh it down. Increase the heat of the oven to 200C/200F/Gas 6. Place the weighted pork belly into the oven for about 15 minutes, or until the skin has become dark golden. Remove the pork from the oven and reserve in a warm place until ready to serve
  6. Meanwhile for the caramelised apples, heat the butter in a frying pan over a medium heat until bubbling. Add the apple halves skin-side down. Fry for about four minutes, or until the flesh has turned golden-brown. Turn over and cook until the apple is just tender. Reserve until ready to use
  7. For the creamed cabbage and pancetta, heat the butter in a large frying pan over a medium heat until bubbling. Add the pancetta cubes and fry until golden-brown and some of the fat has rendered. Add the carrot and continue to gently fry for five minutes, turning regularly. Add the remaining ingredients and cook until the liquid has reduced to a coating consistency
  8. For the mustard cream sauce, place 800ml/1 pint 8¾fl oz of the strained cooking liquid into a clean pan and simmer until the volume of liquid has reduced by half. Add the cream and cook until reduced again by half. Add grain mustard, to taste
  9. To serve, divide the pork into four portions. Place a portion of the pork belly onto each of four plates, along with an apple half; spoon on some of the creamed cabbage mix and finish with the mustard cream sauce