Belly pork, caramelised apple wedges and boulangere potatoes

This dish is a real crowd pleaser for a lazy day. You can’t go wrong with tender pork and potatoes with a twist.

Main courses
Belly pork, caramelised apple wedges and boulangere pots
  • Preparation time 1 hour (prep. time)
  • Cooking time 3 hours+ (cooking time)
  • Serves 6

Ingredients

  • 30mlvegetable oil
  • 1.5kgbelly pork
  • 145gonion, roughly chopped
  • 145gcarrot, roughly chopped
  • 1garlic bulb, crushed
  • 85mlwhite wine
  • 30gcornflour

 

For the potatoes

  • 1kgpotatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
  • 235gonions, thinly sliced
  • 15gvegetable bouillon
  • 115mlwater
  • 15grosemary
  • Salt and pepper
  • 30gbutter, melted

 

For the apples

  • 2apples, cut into thick slices or wedges
  • 30gbutter
  • 15gcaster sugar

Method

  1. Gently heat the oil in a deep roasting tray on the hob then add the chopped onion, carrots and garlic and sauté for five minutes.
  2. Place the pork on top of the vegetables, skin side up, and pour in the white wine.
  3. Add 100ml of boiling water and bring to the boil. Cover with foil and roast at 160C for 2–3 hours.
  4. Take out the oven and leave for five minutes. Place the pork in a new tray, cover with foil then place a tray on the top and put some weights on the top to compress the pork – you could use a few tins. Chill for at least 6 hours.  
  5. Tip the remaining contents of the roasting tray into a pan, add a little water and bring to the boil. Strain through a sieve, pushing through as much as you can with a ladle or spoon, dissolve the cornflour in a couple of spoons of water, pour into the sauce and stir to thicken.
  6. For the potatoes: melt the butter and use a little to brush the deep tray. Layer in the potatoes, sliced onions and rosemary. Combine the bouillion with the water and pour over, followed by the rest of the melted butter, and season. Cover with foil and bake at 170C (gas mark 4) for an hour until the potatoes are soft. Then remove the foil, place back in the oven for a further 10–15 minutes or until the top is golden.
  7. For the apples: melt the butter in a frying pan and sprinkle in the sugar, place the apples cut side down in the butter mix and sauté gently until soft and caramelised.
  8. To serve, slice the pork belly then bake on a lined tray at 180C for 10–15 mins until the skin is crisp. Serve with the boulangere potatoes, drizzle over some of the sauce and add a wedge of caramalised apple.

All ovens vary so please use times and temperatures as guides. This recipe does not use gluten-containing ingredients but please check food packaging for allergens.