Ravishing roasts

Pork belly with sticky Asian sauce

Absolutely amazing flavour and quite easy to create
Serves 4
Preparation and cooking:  1hour 15 minutes
Ingredients

• 1kg piece pork belly
• 2 tbsp peanut oil
• Sea salt flakes
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 5cm piece ginger, peeled and finely grated
• 1 long red chilli, finely chopped
• 1 bunch coriander, washed
• 2 cups caster sugar
• 1 cup water
• 2 tbsp fish sauce
• 2 tbsp lime juice
• Jasmine rice, to serve

Method

1. Preheat oven to 220°C (200 fan forced).  Place pork belly in a roasting pan.  Rub skin with 2 tsp of the oil and sprinkle with salt flakes.  Roast for 1 hour or until crackling is crisp and meat is cooked.  Transfer to a chopping board.  Cover with foil to keep warm.  Stand for 10 minutes before slicing.
2. Meanwhile, heat remaining oil in a frying pan over medium heat.  Add onion and cook for 3 minutes or until soft.  Add garlic, ginger, chilli and chopped coriander roots and cook for 2 minutes.  Add caster sugar and water.  Stir until sugar dissolves and comes to the boil.  Simmer for 10 minutes.  Add fish sauce and lime juice.  Reduce heat and simmer for 2 minutes or until thickened.
3. Place rice in serving dish, top with pork slices and sauce.  Sprinkle with coriander leaves and serve.

Serving suggestion
Very nice served with Asian greens
​Note
​Save time by using bottled minced garlic and ginger

Sea salt caramel pork crackling

This is a little unusual, however, it is very, very nice
​Serves 8 to 10
Ingredients

• 750gm pork rind, scored
• 1 tsp chilli flakes
• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• 2 tbsp sea salt
• Olive oil
• 100gm caster sugar
• 50ml water
  

​Method

1. With a mortar and pestle, grind the chilli, fennel and sea salt into a fine powder.
2. Slice the rind into large strips and massage in the chilli mix, rubbing in a little olive oil as you go.  Leave to marinate for an hour.
3. Preheat oven to 220°C (200 fan forced).  Place rind on a baking tray and roast for 20 minutes (keeping watch so it doesn't burn).  The crackling should be golden, crisp and bubbled.  When the crackling is ready, remove from oven and break into bite sized pieces and spread on a tray lined with baking paper.
4. Place sugar in a heavy based saucepan with water and gently bring to boil.  Boil for 8 to 10 minutes until golden and caramelised.  Drizzle over the crackling and leave to set.  Serve and enjoy.

Notes

• If you have time, dry out the pork rind for 24 hours by leaving it uncovered on a tray in the fridge
• Allow at least two hours for preparation, marinating and cooking
• Be careful not to overcook the caramel (my first attempt turned into toffee)
• Use your air fryer instead of the oven

Roasted pork rack with apple cider gravy

Absolutely heavenly!
Serves 4
Cooking + preparation:  1 hour 45 minutes
Ingredients

• 2 tsp sea salt flakes
• ½ tsp fennel seeds
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1kg (4 cutlets) pork loin rack, rind scored
• ½ cup sparkling apple cider
• 165gm packet liquid roast chicken gravy

Method

1. Preheat oven to 220°C (200 fan forced).  Grind salt and fennel seeds in a mortar and pestle then stir in olive oil.  Rub all over pork. Place pork in a large deep oven dish and roast for 20 to 30 minutes or until rind is golden and bubbling.  Reduce heat to 180°C (160 fan-forced).  Roast for a further 35 to 40 minutes or until golden and just cooked through.
2. Remove pork from oven and transfer to a large plate.  Cover loosely with foil and set aside for 10 minutes to rest.  Retain the pan juices for the gravy.
3. Meanwhile, drain any excess fat from the roasting dish then reheat the pan over medium heat.  Add apple cider then cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, for 2 minutes or until reduced by half.   Stir in gravy and continue to cook, stirring, until gravy is heated through.
4. Transfer gravy to a pouring dish.  Serve and enjoy.

Serving suggestion
Serve pork with roast potatoes, apple cider gravy and green beans
Recipe credit
Taste.com

Apple jelly gems

​Here is a delightful substitute to traditional apple sauce.  Pretty as a picture and a lovely accompaniment to roast pork
Serves 8
Preparation and cooking:  20 minutes plus 2 hours chilling time
Ingredients

• 1½ cups clear apple juice or cider
• 1½ tbsp gelatine
• 1 tbsp brandy, optional
• Salt

Method

1. Place ½ cup apple juice or cider in a saucepan.  Sprinkle gelatine over and set aside for 3 minutes or until gelatine softens.
2. ​Bring gelatine mixture to a simmer over medium-high heat, stirring until gelatine dissolves.  Stir in remaining apple juice or cider and the brandy, if using, and a pinch of salt.
3. Pour into a 12 x 22cm loaf pan.  Spoon off any foam that rises to surface.  Refrigerate for 2 hours or until set.
4. Using a fork, scrape the top 1.5cm surface of jelly lengthwise, then crossways, forming little square-shaped pieces.
5. Serve with roast pork, allowing the heat to melt the jelly.

Recipe credit
Curtis Stone and Coles Magazine

Brined beer chicken

Brining the chicken keeps it moist and succulent during cooking and adds extra flavour.  It is also delicious cooked on a BBQ
Remember to allow several hours or overnight to brine the chicken thoroughly
Preparation + cooking:  1 hour + overnight brining
Serves 4
Ingredients

• 2 x 330ml bottles of lager
• 1 lemon, halved
• ½ cup honey
• 1 tbsp thyme leaves
• 30gm packet spicy seasoning of your choice
• 1½ kg chicken pieces (thighs are great)
• ½ cup salt
• 20gm butter, softened
• 1 tbsp plain flour
• 400gm punnet cherry tomatoes, medley mix looks great
• Basil leaves, to serve

Method

1. Combine lager, 6 cups water, lemon, honey, thyme and seasoning in a large bowl.  Transfer 1½ cups of mixture to a small bowl.  Cover and set aside.
2. Place chicken in a deep ceramic dish.  Add salt to brine mixture and stir well.  Pour mixture over chicken.  Cover and refrigerate overnight.
3. Preheat oven to 200°C (180 fan forced).  Transfer chicken to a roasting pan.  Discard brine.  Roast chicken for 40 minutes or until golden and cooked through.
4. Pour reserved marinade into a small pan and place over medium heat.  Bring mixture to boil.  Combine butter and flour in a bowl.  Whisk into marinade, a little at a time.  Cook for 2 minutes until thick and glossy.  Serve chicken with the sauce, tomatoes and basil.

Recipe credit
Woolworths Fresh Magazine, September 2015