Apples lend a slightly sweet taste to braised pork roast. Fennel and coriander seeds add extra flavour for a truly delightful roast.
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Ingredients
Method
1.Preheat oven to 160°C.
2.Tie pork with kitchen string at 3cm intervals to form a compact shape; this helps the pork to cook evenly.
3.Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a 7 litre (28-cup) oval cast iron or other flameproof casserole dish (see tips) over medium-high heat; cook pork, turning, for 8 minutes or until browned all over. Transfer to a large tray.
4.Reduce heat to low, add leek to dish; cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until softened. Add crushed seeds; cook, stirring, for 1 minute or until fragrant. Return pork to dish with cider and bay leaves; bring to the boil. Cover dish with a tight-fitting lid; bake for 2 hours. Remove lid, turn pork; bake, uncovered, for a further 35 minutes or until pork is very tender.
5.Heat remaining oil in a large heavy-based frying pan over high heat. Add apples and ¾ cup (180ml) of the pork braising liquid; bring to the boil. Cook, rotating apples halfway during cooking, for 5 minutes or until apples brown and are heated through and braising liquid is reduced by half. Season to taste.
6.Cut pork into slices. Serve half the pork with half the apple mixture. Transfer remaining pork and apple mixture to an airtight container; cool, then store.
We used a 25cm x 33cm (10in x 13¼in) oval cast iron casserole. Alternatively, use a flameproof roasting pan; cover tightly with baking paper and two layers of foil in step 4. We used an alcoholic apple cider; use a non-alcoholic one, if you prefer.
Serve with lyonnaise potatoes, or roast potatoes, and garlic beans , if you like.
Refrigerate pork and apple mixture for up to 3 days. Freeze for up to 3 months; thaw
in the fridge, then reheat in a microwave.
Note
