ROAST PORK WITH CRACKLING

 

1.8 kg piece of rolled and tied pork loin with skin scorred

2 garlic cloves sliced into thin slivers

Small bunch of rosemary broken into small sprigs

2 bay leaves, torn

1 onion, peeled and roughly chopped

1 large carrot roughly chopped

1 apple, peeled, quatered and roughly sliced

1 tbsp sunflower oil

2 tbsp plain flour

100 ml cider

2 cups chicken stock

Rub salt on the pork skin, two hours before cooking and leave it uncovered in the fridge.  

Preheat oven to 200 C and turn the pork rind side down. and with a amall knife make 6 deep incisions.  Take a sliver of garlic, a piece of rosemary and bay into each incision and turn the pork the right way up..  

Mix the carrot, onion and apple and scatter allong the middle of a shallow roasting tray to make a bed for the pork to sit on.

Preheat the oven to 200 C sit the pork on the vegetables and brush it with oil, Place the pork in the oven and let it bake for 15 minutes. Lower the heat to 180 C and bake for one and a half hours until the meat is cooked and the crackling is superb. 

Remove the pork from the oven and place it on a bord to rest. and pour off all but 2 tbsp of fat from the tray.  Scoop the contents, carrot, onion and apple and set aside,  

Stir the flour in the oil, add the vegetables and cook until you have a dark amber paste. Pour in the cider and simmer until the alcohol evaporates then pour in the chicken stock until you have a thick gravy.

Slice the pork and serve it with vegetables of your choice and the apple and onion gravy.