Roast belly pork with Catalan greens

Name: Roast belly pork with Catalan greens
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 1 kg Pork belly, boned, skin sliced in parallel lines almost down to the flesh (Main); 4 cloves Garlic, sliced; 1 tsp Fennel seeds; 1 cup Dry white wine; 4 Tbsp Extra virgin olive oil; 1 large Onion, finely chopped; 8 Dried apricots, sliced; ¼ cup Raisins; ¼ cup Dried cranberries; 6 Silverbeet leaves, white stalks cut off and discarded, leaves sliced 2cm thick, boiled in salted water for about 5 minutes, cooled under cold water, squeezed dry; 3 handfuls Baby spinach, and rocket leaves; 150 g Kale leaves, leaves pulled off stem, leaves boiled in salted water for 5 minutes, cooled under cold water, squeezed dry; ¼ cup Roasted almonds, coarsely chopped; ¼ cup Pine nuts, roasted, coarsely chopped

for 6 people

Tam West

Ray McVinnie

Chef and food writer

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In Catalonia they cook spinach with raisins and pinenuts. Here I have done the same with an onion and a mix of greens, nuts and dried fruit. Good served with rice or baked potatoes.

Ingredients

1 kg	Pork belly, boned, skin sliced in parallel lines almost down to the flesh (Main)
4 cloves	Garlic, sliced
1 tsp	Fennel seeds
1 cup	Dry white wine
4 Tbsp	Extra virgin olive oil
1 large	Onion, finely chopped
8	Dried apricots, sliced
¼ cup	Raisins
¼ cup	Dried cranberries
6	Silverbeet leaves, white stalks cut off and discarded, leaves sliced 2cm thick, boiled in salted water for about 5 minutes, cooled under cold water, squeezed dry
3 handfuls	Baby spinach, and rocket leaves
150 g	Kale leaves, leaves pulled off stem, leaves boiled in salted water for 5 minutes, cooled under cold water, squeezed dry
¼ cup	Roasted almonds, coarsely chopped
¼ cup	Pine nuts, roasted, coarsely chopped

Directions

Heat the oven to 180C. Bring an electric kettle full of water to the boil.
Put the pork into the bottom of a clean sink and pour the boiling water over the skin. This ensures crisp crackling. Dry the pork on paper towels.
Put the garlic, fennel seeds and ½ cup of the wine into a small roasting dish. Put the pork on top, skin side up. Sprinkle the skin with salt. Place in the oven for 1½ hours or until tender. Place under the grill until the crackling is crisp. Be careful, as it burns easily.
When the pork is almost ready, Heat the oil in a frying pan over moderate heat and add the onion, apricots, raisins and cranberries. Fry gently, without browning, for 10 minutes or until the onion is soft. Add the silverbeet, spinach, rocket and kale and mix well. Fry for 5 minutes until hot then add the almonds and pine nuts. Mix well, taste and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Remove the pork from the oven and rest in a warm place. Skim the fat off the pan juices. Add the remaining wine, place the pan over high heat and bring to the boil, stirring with a wooden spoon. Boil for 2 minutes, taste and season.
Slice the pork thinly and serve with the greens, with the pan juices drizzled over the top.