CRACKLING ROAST PORK WITH CIDER GRAVY

INGREDIENTS

2.5kg bone-in pork belly, skin scored

2 tbsp fennel seeds

1 tsp flaked sea salt

3 garlic cloves, chopped

6 sage leaves, roughly chopped, plus extra to garnish

3 tbsp olive oil

2 apples, halved

3 onions, halved

For the gravy:

40g plain flour

300ml cider

300ml chicken stock as needed

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C/Gas 6. Remove the pork from the fridge a good half-hour before roasting. Toast the fennel seeds and place in a mortar. Add the salt, garlic and sage and pound with a pestle. Drizzle in 2 tbsp of the oil and set to one side. Slash the meat of the pork and rub the fennel paste into the meat. Place the pork on top, skin side up. Season well.

2. Roast for 30 minutes, then reduce the heat to 180°C/160°C fan/Gas 4 and roast for 1 hour. Place the apples and onions in the roasting tin, drizzle with the remaining oil and roast for another hour.

3. Turn the oven up to 220°C/200°C fan/Gas 7 and cook for 15 minutes or until the skin crackles. Place the pork on a warmed serving platter and arrange the apples and onions around it. Allow to rest for 30 minutes before carving.

4. To make the gravy, add 300ml water to the roasting tin and stir, scraping up any goodness. Pour this into a fat-separating jug, make this up to 600ml in total volume.

5. Spoon 2 tbsp of the cooking fat into a saucepan, gently heat and stir in the flour. Cook for 2 minutes. Remove the flour from the heat and whisk in the cider until smooth. Add the pan juices and bring to the boil, whisking as you go. Simmer for 20 minutes or until thickened to your liking.