The key to the crispiest crackling is leaving the pork uncovered to dry out overnight. Don’t be afraid of the high temperature— it’s crucial to get that bubbly crackling texture. 

Fennel-seed crackling clementine roasted pork belly

Serves 6

Ingredients

1.5kg pork belly on the bone
1 cup coarse rock salt
1 tsp fennel seeds, toasted and crushed 
2 tsp salt flakes 
Milled pepper
7cm ginger, sliced
1 fennel bulb, sliced (reserve fronds for another recipe)
2 red chilies
2 cloves garlic
4 clementines, peeled and cut in half + extra for serving
2-3 Tbsp brown sugar
¼ cup rice wine vinegar 
2 Tbsp fish sauce
1½ cups fresh orange juice
½ cup vegetable stock 
1 packet (200g) baby fennel, halved and pan-fried
Fennel curls and flowers, for serving  

Method

1. Score pork fat, being careful not to cut through to the meat (a serrated knife works well for this). Pat dry and sprinkle with coarse salt. Place uncovered in the fridge and leave to dry for 2 hours, or overnight if the time allows.
2. Thoroughly brush off all the salt and pat rind dry with kitchen paper. 
3. Toast fennel seeds in a dry pan over medium heat for about a minute. Crush using pestle and mortar, then mix with salt flakes. Rub salt onto rind and between any crevasses. 
4. Preheat oven to 220°C. 
5. Create a foil boat or parcel the size of the pork roast. (This ensures your meat stays covered while cooking, keeping it moist and juicy.) Wrap in foil in roasting pan. 
6. Place ginger, fennel bulb, chilli, garlic and clementines at the bottom of foil parcel.
7. Combine sugar, vinegar, fish sauce and orange juice, stirring to combine. Pour sauce into foil boat. Place pork meat-side down in the sauce, making sure to keep fat exposed as this will become crackling. 
8. Roast for 35-45 minutes, or until fat begins to bubble and turns golden. 
9. Turn heat down to 170°C and continue cooking for another 11/2 hours, or until meat is tender. 
10. Remove meat from parcel and rest for 10 minutes, while pan juices are reducing in the oven, creating a sauce. 
11. To serve, pan-fry baby fennel until golden and tender. 
12. Serve slices of pork belly with the pan-fried baby fennel, fresh clementines, fennel curls and fennel flowers.

By: Liezl Vermeulen
Photography by: Zhann Solomons

Also read: Pork belly with spicy cranberry sauce

The post Fennel-seed crackling clementine roasted pork belly appeared first on MyKitchen.

The festivities are here, which means it’s time to enjoy some traditional baked goods in celebration! These mince pies with clementine curd make lovely treats for friends and family.

MAKES 12 // COOKING TIME 1 hour 30 min

INGREDIENTS
For the clementine curd
Juice of 1 lemon
Juice of 3 clementines
175 g caster sugar
3 eggs, 2 whole and 1 separated
60 g butter
For the pastry
125 g butter, diced
85 g icing sugar, sieved
250 g cake flour, sieved
1 egg, beaten
For the filling
250 g good-quality mincemeat
75 g dried cranberries, chopped
50 g dried apricots, chopped
1 tsp chopped ginger
Zest of 2 clementines
100 g mascarpone
1 egg, whisked, for the egg wash

METHOD
For the clementine curd
1. Preheat oven to 180°C.
2. Place the lemon and clementine juices in a bowl along with the sugar and eggs.
3. Place the bowl over a pot of simmering water and cook, stirring continuously, for 20–25 minutes, until the mixture thickens.
4. When the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, remove from the heat and whisk the butter into the mixture.
5. Place in the fridge to cool completely.
For the pastry
1. Cream the butter and icing sugar together in a blender. Add the flour and mix until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
2. Add the egg gradually and blend until a ball forms. Remove from the machine and shape quickly into a round disc.
3. Wrap in cling film and refrigerate for ±30 minutes. Grease a 12-hole muffin tin.
4. Roll out the pastry on a floured surface and use a round cookie cutter to cut out 12 rounds, each with a diameter of 10 cm.
5. Place these bottom rounds in the muffin tray and blind-bake for 10 minutes.
6. Cut out another 12 circles for the lids of the mince pies, each with a diameter of 8 cm.
7. Cut star shapes out of half the lids and stick these on to the remaining lids.
For the filling
1. Combine all of the filling ingredients.
2. Remove the pastry shells from the oven and set aside.
3. Cool the shells to room temperature and then carefully place a teaspoon of the curd into each shell, topping with a teaspoon of the filling.
4. Brush the sides of the pastry shells with egg wash and stick the lids on to the pastry shells, making sure the edges are secured. Refrigerate for about 15 minutes.
5. Brush some egg wash on the top of each mince pie and place in the oven for 15–20 minutes, until crispy and golden. Dust with icing sugar before serving.

Recipe & styling: Diane Heierli
Photography: Christoph Heierli

The post Mince pies with clementine curd appeared first on MyKitchen.