Belly Pork

Am beyond behind with my posting but I figure there is no point getting more behind by not posting the new stuff!

I love belly pork, I know it isn't the healthy choice but the combination of succulent meat & super crunchy ... oh hang on I'm gonna have to nick another bit of crackling off the cooling bit.

Belly pork can stand up to any strength of favours, so be bold! I served this with noodles & veg, and am planning to do sushi with the left over meat. Watch this space for how that turns out! It is such an adaptable recipe, go a bit porchetta or go a bit oriental. Belly pork is obviously fatty so clean & sharp flavours that will cut through it are good.

This was a 600g bit of pork but check the meat & adjust accordingly. Spice measurements are approx and obviously need to be adjusted if your piece of porks bigger!
1 tsp each of;
   Fennel Seeds
   Coriander Seeds
   Peppercorns
   Sea Salt
   Chilli Flakes
A star anise
Garlic Oil
2 sticks of celery
1 carrot
1/2 red onion
1 stick of rhubarb

Heat the oven to 250c. Score the skin of the pork. Make a rack with the veg - you're not gonna eat it, it'll just flavour the meat & keep it off the pan (well maybe the rhubarb, put that on top) chuck the star anise on & lay the pork on top, skin side up.

In a pestle & mortar crush all the spices, then mix them with the garlic oil & rub into the skin making sure it gets into all the scored bits.

Cook at 240c for half an hour then turn down to 175c tip in half a cup of water & cook for another 1-2 hours.

The pork will be tender & the skin crispy ...

Roast Chicken a la Fanny Craddock

Saw a Fanny Craddock show before xmas on Good Food (which I watch way too much of) and scribbled this tip down. Finally got round to trying it today & it was good, which I should have expected! I mean she was very bossy, but she knew her stuff!

Not really a recipe but a change when it comes to roast chicken. I usually cover the top with bacon but this was a nicer, subtler flavour with fantastic crispy skin.

Basically she put pancetta & whole mushrooms (no stalk, skin still on) under the skin of the chicken breast. Basically slip your fingers under the skin to make a pocket, slip some ham in (i used a slice of ham per breast on a 1.3kg chicken) and then the whole mushrooms (i used 2 chestnut mushrooms per breast). At this point the chicken will look mutant!

I then did some of my 'usual' roast chicken routine: I squeezed half a lemon over the bird then stuck the other half in the cavity with some garlic. A little bit of olive oil drizzled over followed by some chicken spice blend.

Roast in the oven (i do 20 minutes per 450g + 20 mins at 200c and it is normally done before time) and the mushrooms will flatten out to nothing. In fact by the time you come to carve there will be practically nothing under the skin except moist & tasty chicken.

This will be how I roast chicken from now on. I didn't take any pics (sorry) but trust me it's good!

Sent from my HTC

Christmas Dinner - anally organised but panic free*

Anal doesn't even begin to describe my organisation for this, the first Christmas Dinner I had done for the family and I wanted it to be perfect! I had everything planned out of post it notes, that were in time order so I just worked through them and did what I was told at what time! It came out well so everyone was happy!

The made bits will get their own post but the sausages were M&S - posh chipolatas, gluten free which I wrapped in bacon and Waitrose ready made gravy* also free from though not by design I think! The roast vegetables I don't think deserve a post of their own - they were par boiled (potatoes and carrots 10 mins, parsnips 5) then put in some hot hot goose or duck fat in the oven 40 minutes before the turkey was done then turned up high while the turkey is resting. Thanks to Jamie for those timings, my brother is an international roast potato expert and he thought they were good! I am not even going to start on the sprout arguement - do them your way! We just had a turkey crown and I sat it on a bed (well anal rows of) leek, celery and carrott with half and orange in it's cavity and some rather fantastic Maple Cured Bacon on the top off which I took off towards the end to brown the top! Oh and I did it wrapped in tin foil for most of the time.

* I do normally make my own gravy but my family are heathens when it comes to food and I knew I'd be manic so I cheated - I have no guilt over making life easier! Sent from my HTC

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Chunky Stuffing ( based on a barefoot contessa recipe )

Continuing on my Xmas experimentation I tried out this stuffing making a gluten free version, its something a bit lighter and less pig focussed than most stuffings.

And now on the last day of Febuary I am finally finishing this post! It is probably a little early to be preparing for next year but I do this everytime I have roast chicken now.

recipe serves about 2 people generously, just double up etc if you want more.

4 cups gf bread cubes
1/2 cup diced onion (unsurprisingly I use Eazy Onions)
1/4 cup diced celery
1/2 a Granny Smith apple, diced
1/2 tbsp chopped parsley
100g sausages (about 2 usually)
1/3 cup chicken stock
1/4 cup dried cranberries

• Preheat oven to 350c
• Spread the bread cubes out on a baking tray & bake to 5-10 minutes until golden. Turn the heat up to 180c & tip the bread cubes into a large bowl
• Meanwhile in a large frying pan fry the vegetables until softened & add to the bread cubes
• Squeeze the sausages out of the skins & fry them, breaking the meat up as they cook. Add to the bowl
• Stir in the stock & cranberries, & season well
• Tip into a baking dish - you can do up to this point the night before, just cover with clingfilm & pop in the fridge. Otherwise;
• Bake for 30 minutes until browned on top & hot in the middle

This iv very tasty with savoury, crispy, meaty, sweet & sour bit.