Pot Roast Pork with Fennel, Olives, Oranges & Oregano

If you're looking for a Sunday roast with a twist try this gorgeous Spanish-inspired pork recipe from Richard Turner's amazing new book, Hog*. Not least 'cos it mentions me in the intro ;-)

"Although not particularly authentic, this braise was inspired by stews I’ve eaten in Ibiza and is redolent of a hot Iberian summer. Fiona Beckett, a long time oenophile and dispenser of sage advice, recommends a glass or two of Santa Maria del Camí Binissalem from neighbouring Mallorca.

Serves 4

1.5kg boned and rolled pork shoulder

Maldon sea salt flakes

50ml olive oil

2 onions, halved through the root

2 fennel bulbs, halved through the root

4 garlic cloves, sliced

200ml dry white wine

1 litre pork broth or stock

200ml fresh orange juice

400g can chopped tomatoes

100g pitted green olives

2 large oranges, segmented

2 tablespoons fresh oregano leaves

hot smoked paprika, for dusting (optional)

Preheat the oven to 200ºC/gas mark 6.

Score the skin of the pork with a sharp knife, making small incisions 2cm apart, then rub the skin with salt.

Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large flameproof casserole over a medium heat. Add the onions and fennel and cook for 10 minutes until just softened and golden. Add the garlic and cook for a further 2 minutes.

Add the white wine and reduce by half. Pour in the stock, bring to the boil and reduce by half, then add the orange juice and tomatoes.

Sit the pork in the vegetables and place in the oven, uncovered, for 40 minutes. Add the olives, then cook for a further 20 minutes until the pork is cooked through.

Turn the oven off, add the orange segments and oregano and allow to rest in the oven for 30 minutes before transferring to a chopping board to carve.

Serve the pork along with the vegetables, olives and orange segments, drizzled with a spoonful of the pan juice. The lightest dusting of hot smoked paprika at the end adds a lovely warming character.

*Subscribers can win a copy of the book this month! All you need to do is register on the website then send an email to giveaways@matchingfoodandwine.com with 'Hog book' in the subject line by Sunday 26th April 2015.

What to drink: As Richard says I'm a fan of Santa Maria del Camí Binissalem - a robust blend of the local Mante Negro blended with Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah which is normally listed by Marks & Spencer but seems to be currently out of stock. A good Côtes du Rhône or other grenache-based red should also work.

Photo © Paul Winch-Furness

Rhubarb & strawberry crumble sundae

It was the savoury dishes that initially attracted me to Henry Dimbleby and Jane Baxter’s excellent Leon: Fast Vegetarian but this is a cracking dessert with in-season rhubarb.

Jane and Henry write: "So easy. So good. This is basically an assembly job, with just a little cooking at the beginning"

SERVES 4

PREPARATION TIME: 20 MINUTES • COOKING TIME: 20 MINUTES

150ml double cream, whipped

4 scoops of vanilla ice cream

4 tablespoons thick custard

FOR THE CRUMBLE

50g plain flour

30g cold butter, cut into small pieces

2 tablespoons caster sugar

50g amaretti biscuits, crushed

FOR THE RHUBARB COMPOTE

150g strawberries, quartered

1 x Rhubarb & Orange Compote recipe (see below)

FOR THE SAUCE

100g strawberries

1 tablespoon caster sugar

a drop of vanilla extract

juice of 1 orange

1. Heat the oven to 160°C/325°F/gas mark 3.
To make the crumble topping, put the flour into a bowl and rub in the butter until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Stir in the sugar and crushed amaretti. Spread on a baking tray and bake in the oven for 20 minutes. Set aside to cool.

2. Stir the quartered strawberries into the rhubarb compote.

3. Blend all the sauce ingredients to a purée in a blender, then pass the purée through a sieve.

4. To assemble, divide half the compote between four sundae glasses and top with the cream. Next add the strawberry sauce and ice cream, followed by the rest of the compote and the custard.

5. Top with the crumble mix, then serve.

VARIATIONS

This sundae can be made with all sorts of fruit combinations. All you need is a fruit compote and/or sauce, custard, ice cream, or whipped cream and something for texture such as crumble or nuts. Serious adult versions could have booze in, too. Try the following combos:

• Banana with toffee and chocolate.

• Raspberry, peach and flaked almonds.

• Pear with caramelized pecans and butterscotch or chocolate sauce.

Rhubarb & Orange Compote

SERVES 4

PREPARATION TIME: 5 MINUTES • COOKING TIME: 10 MINUTES

200g rhubarb, trimmed and cut into 2cm pieces

125g caster sugar

1 tablespoon grenadine

50ml water

juice and grated zest of 2 oranges

Put the rhubarb, sugar, grenadine, water, orange juice and zest into a pan. Cook gently over a medium heat for 10 minutes, or until the rhubarb is soft.

What to drink: A tricky one. This dessert is already quite orangey so I'm not sure I'd go for the obvious choice of an orange muscat. (The orange in the pudding will strip out the orange in the wine). Try a late harvest sauvignon blanc or a young fragrant moscatel.

Recipe from Leon: Fast Vegetarian by Jane Baxter & Henry Dimbleby, £25, Published in March 2014 www.octopusbooks.co.uk