Rosemary Roasted Pork with Maple Apple Sauce
-
1.8kg/4lb pork loin
-
1/4 cup rosemary
-
2 tablespoons sea salt flakes (like Maldon)
-
olive oil, for drizzling
Step 1 - If you have time the night before, leave the pork skin uncovered in the fridge (cover the loin though) so that it can dry out as much as possible (to make the crackling extra crispy). Preheat the oven to 220c.
Step 2 - Place the rosemary and sea salt in a small frying pan and cook for 1-2 minutes over a high heat until the fragrance of the rosemary comes out. Grind salt and rosemary with a mortar and pestle until it becomes a forest green shaded salt mixture.
Step 3 - Dry the pork skin as much as possible with paper towels to make sure every drop of water is removed. Using a very sharp knife, score the rind horizontally across or in whichever pattern pleases you. Cut the loin inside where the fat divides the light and dark meat and smear with some of the Rosemary Salt mixture. Tie the loin with kitchen string (my husband did this but a butcher can show you or do this for you) and place in a baking dish lined with baking paper. Rub the Rosemary Salt mixture onto the pork rind. Drizzle over with oil and massage into the skin.
Step 4 - Roast pork at 220c for 30 minutes, then lower the heat to 180c and roast for 45 minutes. If the skin hasn't "crackled" turn up the heat to 230c or 240c and blast for 10 minutes until blistered and crispy. Remove the crackling and divide among eaters. Slice the loin very thinly and serve with the Maple Apple sauce below and crackling.
Maple apple sauce
-
6 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and cut up
-
1/2 cup water
-
1/4 cup maple syrup
-
salt and pepper
Step 1 - Place apple pieces and water in a saucepan over medium heat. Cover with lid and cook for 10 minutes until the apple is soft and mashable. Add maple syrup, salt and pepper and mash with a fork until it becomes a sauce.
Adapted from a recipe by Donna Hay for the Sunday Telegraph Magazine