This cut of pork has the most delicious flavour and produces the best crackling ever! What Ruby’s family do at home is the following:
(Serves 4)

Ingredients
1 x Freedom Farms Belly Cut Shoulder (approx 1.1kg)
2 x Star Anise
1 x Carrot (peeled and sliced)
1 x stick of Celery (sliced)
1 x Parsnip (peeled and sliced)
1 x Onion (sliced)
3 x sprigs fresh Thyme (if you have it)
2 x Cloves of Garlic (sliced into slivers)
Olive Oil (about 1 Tbsp)
½ cup of water (approximate – may need more)
Salt and Fennel seeds to season

Method
1) To prepare the piece of pork, remove from wrapping and pat dry with a paper towel. Use a Stanley knife andscore the skin lengthways (please see the picture on the website). Once the skin has been scored, drizzleover a small amount of olive oil, rub in some salt and fennel seeds. This can be done the night before youwant to cook the meat and left covered in the fridge overnight if easier.

2) In a large roasting dish, put in the olive oil, star anise, carrot, celery, parsnip, onion, garlic, fresh thyme andwater. Distribute the ingredients evenly in the bottom of the roasting dish. Then place the pork (skin side up)on top of the ingredients and place in the oven. Roast slowly at 170 degrees Celsius for around 2 - 3 hours.When you can put a sharp knife straight through the meat to the bottom of the roasting dish it is ready. Note:You may need to add extra water to the pan as the meat cooks to avoid it drying out and the meat sticking tothe bottom.

3) Remove the pork from the dish and put onto an oven tray. Then place under the grill to crackle the skin. Bevery careful to watch it, as it will burn quickly... it’s worth waiting around for though!

4) Lastly, don’t throw away the meat juices or the vegetables... they make the most fabulously rich gravy. So,be sure to pick out the star anise and remove any stalks from herbs etc. What we do at home is mash all theremaining vegetables, then put the roasting dish back on the heat, mix in some flour with a whisk and addwater as needed to make the gravy (or “sludge” as we call it at home).

5) Cut the pork in pieces along the lengths of the crackle to serve. Serve with fresh green beans, apple sauceand a lovely creamy mash. Enjoy!
 

I won a night helping out at SIDART restaurant in Ponsonby via Ruby’s List. I was nervous but excited as I walked the steps up to the sliding door of the restaurant – it’s fine dining so not only do the clients expect the best, the chefs do too. Head Chef Sid Sahrawat is backed by two extremely talented Sous chefs, Jason and Ed. You can see why SIDART is so successful, the team gel so well and the food they produce is simply stunning. They take such pride and precision in what they pass through to the restaurant – if it’s not perfect it doesn’t go out of the door.
 

 

'Precision'


'Team work'




'Watching now, your turn next'









'Sid you're far too fast'

 




'Dish completed'




'We're talking all the senses here'




'On it's way to the lucky diners'