Shannon Bennett

Serving size: Serves 8
Cuisine type: French
Cooking time: More than 2 hours
Course: Main
Favourite flavours: Pork

Roast pork belly with caramelised apples

INGREDIENTS

2.25kg piece boneless pork belly
1 bulb garlic, halved
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 teaspoons coarse cooking salt

Caramelised apples
½ cup (110g) caster sugar
½ cup (125ml) calvados (apple brandy)
20g butter
4 small (440g) apples, peeled, halved, cored

Cider sauce
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 (75g) French shallots, sliced thinly
3 cloves garlic, sliced thinly
1 sprig fresh thyme
3 cups (750ml) dry apple cider
1 Knorr chicken stock cube, crumbled
50g chilled butter, chopped
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh
flat-leaf parsley

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 140°C (120°C fan-forced). Using a small sharp knife (or a Stanley knife), score the pork rind.

Place garlic and thyme in the base of a medium baking dish. Season the pork flesh with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Place pork, rind-side up, on garlic mixture. Add enough boiling water to the baking dish to almost cover pork (try not to cover rind). Place a sheet of baking paper over pork. Cover dish tightly with foil, ensuring it is completely sealed. Roast for 4 hours (the pork should be starting to fall apart).

Remove pork from the baking dish; discard liquid. Cool pork to room temperature, keeping it covered with baking paper and foil (refrigerate overnight, if desired).

Preheat oven to 220°C (200°C fan-forced). Cut pork into 8 equal pieces. Place pork on a baking-paper lined oven tray. Rub the rind with oil and coarse cooking salt. Roast for about 30 minutes or until the rind is crisp and browned.

Caramelised apples
Meanwhile, place sugar in a medium frying pan over medium-high heat. Cook, without stirring, until sugar turns a dark caramel colour. Add calvados and flambé (be very careful, this will flame). Simmer, uncovered, for about 1 minute, then add butter and apples; stir to coat the apples in butter mixture. Cook, covered loosely, for about 8-10 minutes, turning apples occasionally until just tender.

Cider sauce
Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook shallots, garlic and thyme for about 3-4 minutes or until tender. Add cider and bring to the boil. Boil for 5 minutes or until liquid is reduced to 1 cup. Add stock cube; simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Strain mixture through a fine sieve over a bowl; discard solids. Return cider to the pan over low heat. Gradually whisk in butter (piece by piece) until shiny and thickened slightly. Stir in parsley.

Serve pork with Caramelised Apples and Cider Sauce.