Roast pork with fennel; apple and potato puree with watercress; kale
Roast pork with fennel
1.2kg organic, free-range pork loin (off the bone), skin well scored
Two cloves garlic
Heaped teaspoon fennel seeds
Maldon salt
Olive oil
Large onion
Large sprig of sage
Glass of Normandy Calvados
Take the pork out of its packaging as soon as you can, put on a plate (skin side up), cover it with a clean tea-towel and bring it to room temperature. Spread the skin liberally with salt and really massage it into the scored skin. Leave to absorb for about 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 230c.
Crush the garlic in a pestle and mortar with a pinch of salt to make a paste. Add the fennel seeds and mix well. Using your hands, rub this paste into the flesh of the pork – don’t get any on the skin.
Slice the onion into thin strips and place in a baking tray. Slosh with olive oil, toss well and then heap the onions in the centre of the tray. Put the sage sprig on top of the heap, and then put the pork loin on top.
Cook the pork in the hot oven for 20 mins, then turn the heat down to 180c, and cook for a further 1 hour and 20 mins.
Take the pork out, transfer to a chopping board, cover with foil and leave to rest for at least 20 mins.
Put the baking tray onto the stove on a low heat, carefully scoop out the charred onions and throw them away. Tip in a small glass of calvados and scrape with a wooden spoon to loosen all the charred goodness in the tray. Allow to boil and reduce slightly. Add some sloshes of water if the gravy is looking too thick. Pour into a jug, with a spoon.
Apple and potato puree with watercress
2 English apples
A bag of Charlotte potatoes
A bag of watercress, roughly chopped
Butter
Organic milk
A pot of crème fraiche
Maldon salt
Black pepper
Peel the potatoes and chop into chunks. Peel and core the apples and slice. Bring to the boil a large saucepan of salted water, and boil the potatoes for about 15 mins or until tender. After 10 mins, add the apples.
Drain the potatoes and apples and return the pan. Leave to steam for about 5 mins. Add half a pat of butter, season with salt and pepper and mash well. Gently heat a slosh or two of milk in a separate pan (don't let it boil) and stir through the puree. Put the lid on and set aside.
Put the watercress in a separate saucepan, with the crème fraiche, and over a low heat stir for about 2 minutes to wilt the leaves; do not let it boil. Season with salt and pepper, and then put the mixture in a blender and blitz until smooth.
Gently reheat the potato/apple puree, and gently reheat the watercress puree (in separate pans). Pour the watercress puree into the potato puree and fold once or twice to very loosely combine – do not overmix (it looks prettier if there are ribbons of green).
Kale
2 large bags of kale
Extra virgin olive oil
Maldon salt
Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil. Plunge the kale into the water and boil for a minute or so (or less - test the leaves; they should have bite). Drain well, carefully pressing all the water out of the kale (try not to bruise the leaves). Gently heat the olive oil in the pan and then toss through the kale. Decant this into a warm serving plate and sprinkle with salt.
A pot of crème fraiche
Maldon salt
Black pepper
Peel the potatoes and chop into chunks. Peel and core the apples and slice. Bring to the boil a large saucepan of salted water, and boil the potatoes for about 15 mins or until tender. After 10 mins, add the apples.
Drain the potatoes and apples and return the pan. Leave to steam for about 5 mins. Add half a pat of butter, season with salt and pepper and mash well. Gently heat a slosh or two of milk in a separate pan (don't let it boil) and stir through the puree. Put the lid on and set aside.
Put the watercress in a separate saucepan, with the crème fraiche, and over a low heat stir for about 2 minutes to wilt the leaves; do not let it boil. Season with salt and pepper, and then put the mixture in a blender and blitz until smooth.
Gently reheat the potato/apple puree, and gently reheat the watercress puree (in separate pans). Pour the watercress puree into the potato puree and fold once or twice to very loosely combine – do not overmix (it looks prettier if there are ribbons of green).
Kale
2 large bags of kale
Extra virgin olive oil
Maldon salt
Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil. Plunge the kale into the water and boil for a minute or so (or less - test the leaves; they should have bite). Drain well, carefully pressing all the water out of the kale (try not to bruise the leaves). Gently heat the olive oil in the pan and then toss through the kale. Decant this into a warm serving plate and sprinkle with salt.
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