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roast pork belly with apple and fennel

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i love those lazy Sunday’s when time seems to slow down slightly and the autumn sun streams in through the windows highlighting dust motes that dance like fairies in the draft as The Viking or Holly shuffle past… I could spend countless hours curled up with a good book and a cup of tea knowing that the chores I have yet to do are my favourite kind such as chopping wood ready for the approaching colder nights or slamming a pork belly joint into the oven… ahh, if only every day could be this day…

…on another topic entirely, there are one or two little things yet to be completed in my kitchen and then I promise I will reveal all… truth be told, I would be happy to show you now but The Viking wants every last detail complete… picture perfect before we reveal the perfect picture … but here’s another sneak peak for all of you who have been so patient..

roast pork belly with apple and fennel
there’s something about the aniseed quality of fennel that works in perfect harmony with the apples in this classic roast pork dish… simple, clean and perfectly slow roasted to compliment my slow roasted Sunday!

1 small joint of pork belly – ask your butcher to score the fat, unless you have a particularly sharp knife… all mine are bloody useless!
2 medium cooking apples – quartered
2 small onions – halved
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
olive oil
salt flakes

– pre-heat your oven to as high as it will go, 220C or so

– liberally salt the fat side of the belly, really rubbing it in to the score marks

– roast in the hot oven for 30 minutes until the skin is crackling perfection

– take the joint out of the oven and set to one side, turn the oven down to about 160C

– place the apples and onions into the dish (you could put potatoes in at this stage too, or any other root veg and sprinkle with olive oil and fennel seeds, then place the pork joint back on top of the apples

– slow roast in the oven for another hour and a half

– let it stand for about 15 minutes before carving and scoop up the apples, which should now be fluffy and moist, for a delicious ready-made apple sauce.

eat and of course, enjoy!

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Comments

  3. Gosh I can almost smell that…oh no I know what that is, it's my pork and apple casserole cooking slowly in the oven – ha ha ha! Lovely stuff and nice to see your roundy ended bookcasey thing. Tell the Viking to get his finger out so we can have the full reveal!

  4. You teaser, I'm sure you're just blaming the Viking most unfairly. That glimpse looks so tantalising. Love the book shelf, the colour and the wooden top.

  5. I agree I want a full reveal soon! This looks like the perfect autumnal Sunday lunch. Shame I don't live nearer as I could have dropped you off a banana turnover for pudding!!

  7. That worktop looks a bit crooked …. should we worry?!? (of course it's probably my crooked eyes and it's me that should worry!!)

    Yummy Sunday lunch – love those lazy days (not too sure if I'd fancy chopping wood though)

  8. Oh you are a big tease!!! Totally loving the colour scheme and the way you have decorated the kitchen. But, I'm not a fan of pork … or fennel, BUT I do love apples ;0)
    That said, I can appreciate a lovely roast when I see when and that pork looks like it has been good to perfection.

  9. Gorgeous!
    I just love pork with apples, it's a combo that can never go wrong!
    I wish I could buy a decent pork belly in Belgium. I'll have to wait for my monthly food shopping trip to mighty Britannia 🙂

  10. I've seen lots of recipes for pork and fennel, it's not a combination I've ever had and I'm intruiged. Your pork belly looks deliciously falling apart and tender…mmm!

    Kitchen looks fab – I thought it was finished?!

  11. Can smell the gorgeous belly pork all the way from Lancashire! Can imagine the shuffling Viking and Holly (sounds just like here, just add 6 hens!)…and I have blunt knives too :-(( x

  12. Dom, the pork belly looks absolutely fantastic. Tender and crackling looks fab. I can almost smell it from here.
    I also had pork belly for my birthday dinner with fennel and apple sauce.

  13. It is almost impossible to get pork belly here. I'll have to go the China Town and see if they have any. I've got to give this a try.
    Wally

  21. My invitation was somehow lost in the post Dom, so please serve me up some of that delectable roast pork with fennel now…….c'est parfait darlink!