Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Roast Pork with Fennel

Chef: Jennifer Yee as heard on Saturday Morning Saturday 23 July 2005

Tags: fennel, pork, roast

Ingredients

• 1.5 kg pork belly or pork loin, boned with skin on
• 1 tsp salt + extra
• 1-2 pinches black pepper
• 1 tsp fennel seeds, toasted and lightly crushed
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 4 sml to medium fennel bulbs
• ¼ C vegetable stock, white wine or water

Method

Preheat the oven to 220ºC.

Pat the pork dry and score the skin with a very sharp knife at 5mm intervals across the entire surface.

Blend the salt, pepper and crushed fennel seeds. Rub the mixture all over the pork, massaging it well into the meat. Rub the olive oil and extra salt into the scored skin for good crackling.

Cut the fennel bulbs in half lengthwise and place into a roasting dish. Place the pork directly on top of the fennel, skin-side up. Pour the liquid into the bottom of the pan around the fennel bulbs.

Roast for 20 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 190ºC and continue roasting for approximately one hour until the crackling is crisp and the juices run clear when the pork is pierced with a skewer.

Cut the pork into thick slices, skim the fat from the pan and spoon the juices over the meat or use to make gravy. Serve with the roast fennel and perhaps some scalloped potatoes or kumara mash.