Pork with Roasted Radicchio and Pear

Serves: 6
Easy
Time: 2 hours + overnight refrigeration


Ingredients:

2kg boneless pork belly, skin scored
2 tablespoons rock salt
2 teaspoons fennel seeds
1 teaspoon caraway seeds
2 tablespoons olive oil
¼ cup red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 Beurre bosc pears, quartered and cored 
1 small radicchio, cut into wedges  

METHOD:

1. The day before cooking, place the pork belly skin side up on a large rimmed baking tray. Leave in the fridge overnight, uncovered, to allow the skin to dry out. 

2. Preheat oven to 240°C (220°C fan-forced). Using a mortar and pestle crush the salt, fennel and caraway seeds into a fine powder. Using your hands, rub the spiced salt into the pork skin, making sure to get into the scored cuts. Rub the oil over the entire piece of meat and place back on the tray, skin side up.

3. Roast the pork for 30 minutes, then reduce the heat to 170°C (150°C fan-forced) and cook for a further 1 hour. 

4. Meanwhile, whisk the vinegar, sugar, vanilla and pepper in a large bowl. Add the pears and toss until well coated. Place in a roasting pan and roast for 20 minutes. Add the radicchio to the pan and quickly toss with the pear juices. Bake for a further 12 minutes. 

5. Serve the pork alongside the roasted pears and wilted radicchio.
   
   

Ask your butcher to score the pork belly skin for you. If you are buying it from a supermarket, it may already have some scoring but will need more. Use a very sharp small knife—or even better, a Stanley knife—and score the skin, without cutting all the way through to the meat. This helps to make super crispy crackling!

“Pair your pork with pear”