Roast Pork Belly with Fennel Salad & Anchovy Mayonnaise

Ingredients

1 kg (Whole) Piece of Pork Belly

Vegetable Oil

Sea Salt

Black Pepper

Olive Oil

1-2 Fennel Bulbs

1-2 Granny Smith Apples

½ Lemon

1 Cup Good Quality Mayonnaise

4-5 Anchovies

1 tbls Baby Capers

Method

Remove the pork belly piece from the packaging and pat dry with paper towel. Using a small sharp knife score the rind, taking care to only cut into the fat and not the meat, score at one centimetre intervals. Place the pork belly in the fridge, uncovered for one hour or overnight if time permits.

Preheat oven to 240℃

Remove the pork belly from the fridge and place on a wire rack in the kitchen sink, pour over a jug of boiling water and then pat dry thoroughly with paper towel.

Place the pork belly back on the wire rack over a deep sided baking tray and rub with vegetable oil and sea salt. Place in the oven, cook at 240℃ until the rind crackles, approximately 40-50 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 180℃ and cook for a further 25 minutes, allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving.

While the pork belly is cooking prepare the salad & mayonnaise. For the mayonnaise finely chop the baby capers and anchovies, stir through the mayonnaise along with half a teaspoon of cracked black pepper. To prepare the salad, wash and remove the outer layers of the fennel bulb, remove the tops reserving the fronds for the salad. Slice the fennel very thinly with a sharp knife or use a mandolin, cut the green apple in the same way (leave the skin on the apple) place the fennel & apple in a bowl of water with the juice of half a lemon until ready to use.

To serve, drain the fennel & apple well, place on a platter scatter with the dill fronds, sprinkle with some sea salt and cracked black pepper, drizzle over some olive oil. Slice the pork and serve with the salad and mayonnaise.

Cook’s Tip

Placing the sliced fennel and apple in the water with the lemon juice will prevent it from oxidising and turning brown.

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