Roasted Pork Belly with Fennel Puree

Cook Time 2 hours and 50 minutes

Servings 6-8

Ingredients

2 onions, finely sliced
4 cloves of garlic, skin left on, bruised
2 bay leaves
1.2kg pork belly, skin scored
½ tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp salt flakes
½ tsp white pepper
½ tsp nutmeg
½ tsp ground clove
2 cups chicken stock

2 granny smith apples, peeled and cubed
½ fennel, roughly chopped
1 cup water
40g butter
Salt
Watercress, to serve

Method

Preheat oven to 200°C.

In a baking dish, scatter the onions, bay leaves and the garlic.

Rub the scored pork with salt and olive oil all over. Add the spices to the meat side only.

Place the pork, skin-side up, into the baking dish, on top of the onions and put it into the preheated oven for 30 minutes at 200°C.

After half an hour turn down the oven to 160°C, pour the stock into the dish around the pork (ensure you don’t get the crackling wet) and cook for another 2 hours. Allow to rest and cool.

To make the fennel purée, heat the water and butter in a pot over a medium heat. Add the fennel, apples and a small pinch of salt, and cook for 15-20 minutes until soft. Blend until it becomes a puree consistency.

Slice the pork and serve with a generous spoonful side of the puree, some of the caramelised onions from the baking dish, and garnished with watercress.