Crispy fennel-rolled roast pork with rhubarb sauce

Contains pork – recipe is for non-Muslims/non-pork eaters.

Serve with rhubarb sauce for a tangy accompaniment to the crispy, salty joint of roast pork. The sharpness of the rhubarb really cuts through the richness of the meat

  • Prep:40 mins
    Cook:2 hrs
    plus at least 6 hrs 30 mins chilling and resting
  • Serves 8
  • More effort

Nutrition per serving

  • kcal 565
  • fat 36g
  • saturates 12g
  • carbs 8g
  • sugars 0g
  • fibre 2g
  • protein 52g
  • salt 3.1g

Ingredients

  • 2.5kg boneless pork loin, skin and fat on, butterflied (ask your butcher)
  • 1½ tbsp fennel seeds, crushed
  • 1½ tbsp coriander seeds, crushed
  • 4 lemon thyme sprigs, leaves only
  • 2 large garlic cloves, crushed
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • dauphinoise potatoes and green vegetables, to serve
  • 300g forced rhubarb, cut into 4cm pieces
  • 3 tbsp light brown soft sugar
  • 1 orange, juiced
  • 1 bay leaf

Method

  1. Lay the pork skin-side up and score the skin using a sharp knife in 2cm intervals. Turn over. Using a pestle and mortar, grind the fennel and coriander seeds, lemon thyme, garlic and ½ tbsp salt to a rough paste, then spread over the flesh-side of the pork. Roll the meat up tightly from the longest end, then tie together using butcher’s string in 1cm intervals. Rub the outside of the pork with 1 tbsp salt and chill overnight or for at least 6 hrs.

  2. Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 8. Put the pork in a roasting tin, drizzle over the oil and roast for 30 mins. After this time, reduce the temperature to 190C/170C fan/gas 7 and cook for 1 hr 30 mins, then remove from the oven and rest, covered in foil, for 30 mins.

  3. Meanwhile, make the sauce. Tip the rhubarb, sugar, orange juice, bay and a pinch of salt into a pan. Simmer gently for 10-15 mins, or until the rhubarb has broken down with some chunkier bits.

  4. Slice the pork with a sharp serrated knife (a bread knife works well) and serve with the rhubarb sauce, dauphinoise potatoes, greens or purple sprouting broccoli.

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