Orange, Fennel & Pine Nut Porchetta with Saffron Risotto, Gremolata and Charred Tenderstem with Crispy Bacon Crumb

I know we are all on a health kick at this time of year, but it is Sunday so it only seemed right to post a roast dinner-of-sorts-recipe. I’ve had lots of requests for this recipe since I first teased it on my page a few months ago. For me, it’s the perfect dinner party dish which always impresses guests and appears to have taken much longer than it has. Crispy pork crackling with soft, succulent meat stuffed with orange, fennel, pine nuts, chilli and garlic served with a rich, creamy and buttery saffron risotto and some crunchy, charred tenderstem topped with a salty, crispy, bacon crumb. Heaven.

(Serves 6-8 people)

1.5kg Specially Selected boneless pork belly, skin on and scored
3 tbsps olive oil
4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
Handful of sage, roughly chopped
Few sprigs of thyme, leaves picked
20g pine nuts
80g dried apricots, roughly chopped
1 orange, zest and juice
2 tbsps fennel seeds
Pinch chilli flakes
1/2 tsp sea salt flakes plus more for roasting
Freshly ground black pepper
2 garlic bulbs with ¼ of the top sliced off
2 red onions, cut into wedges 1 fennel bulb, cut into wedges

For the porchetta:

1. Add 2 tbsps olive oil, garlic, sage, thyme, pine nuts, apricots, orange zest and juice, fennel seeds, chilli flakes, sea salt flakes and pepper to a small food processor. Pulse briefly until combined to a rough paste, but the mixture still has some texture.

2. Lay the pork skin-side down on a chopping board, score the flesh in a criss-cross pattern all over and massage the paste all over the meat into the cuts you have made.

3. Starting from the longest side, roll the belly up as tightly as you can. Use butcher’s string to tie the joint tightly at 2cm intervals. Sprinkle the pork all over with 1 tbsp salt, rubbing the salt into the scored skin. You can prepare the pork up to 24 hrs ahead so the flavours can penetrate into the meat and the salt can dry out the skin.

4. Preheat the oven to 140°C fan/160°C. Remove the pork from the fridge 30 minutes before roasting. Add the red onion, garlic and fennel to a shallow roasting tray and sit the pork on top. Massage the remaining 1 tbsp oil over the pork skin and sprinkle over more sea salt flakes. Roast for 3 hours then turn up the heat to 240°C/220°C fan and roast for a further 20-30 mins, checking every 10 mins or so to make sure the pork doesn’t burn. Cook until the skin has crackled well. 5. When the pork is ready, lift onto a board and leave to rest for at least 30 mins before slicing and serving on top of the risotto.

For the risotto:
1 onion, finely chopped
1 fennel bulb, finely chopped (optional)
1 tbsp olive oil
80g unsalted butter
500g risotto rice
200ml dry white wine
700ml - 1 litre good quality chicken stock
Large pinch saffron

1. For the risotto, fry the onion and fennel bulb (optional) over a medium heat for 8-10 minutes in 1 tbsp olive oil and a generous knob of butter until softened, you do not want them to get any colour. Add the risotto rice and toast the rice grains in the butter for 3 minutes until the grains start to go translucent at the edges. Turn up the heat and add the white wine. Reduce until almost no liquid remains.

2. Add the chicken stock to a pan with a pinch of saffron. Heat gently. Once the white wine has all but evaporated, start to add a ladleful of stock at a time into the rice until the rice is cooked but still has some bite to it. Simmer gently for 15-20 minutes, adding more stock after each addition has been absorbed.

3. Once the rice is cooked to your liking, add the remaining butter and 75g grated parmesan. Stir until the butter and cheese has completely melted. Taste and season generously. Leave the risotto to rest with a lid on the pan for two minutes before serving.

For the gremolata:
30g flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely grated
2 unwaxed lemons, zest of both and juice from 1
2 tbsps extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1. Add all the ingredients to a small bowl. Stir in the oil. This will feel much drier compared to a pesto or a dressing, but more oil can be added if you prefer a looser consistency.

2. Drizzle over the porchetta and parsley once cooked

For the tenderstem broccoli:

250g tenderstem broccoli
80g pancetta
75g panko breadcrumbs
Small handful flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 lemon, zest
30g parmesan, finely grated

1. Pan fry 80g pancetta in a dry nonstick frying pan until the fat is completely rendered and the bacon is crispy (roughly 8-10 mins)

2. Remove to a plate with a slotted spoon so the fat is left in the pan.

3. Add 75g panko breadcrumbs to the pan and toast in the bacon fat until golden and crispy.

4. Finely chop or blitz the crispy pancetta and return to the pan with the parsley, lemon zest, garlic and parmesan. Stir well and season to taste.

5. Meanwhile fry the tender stem broccoli stalks in a little olive oil with some salt and pepper for 5-6 minutes in a very hot frying pan until slightly charred but still crunchy.

6. Serve on a platter topped with the crispy breadcrumbs.