Roasted Pork Belly

Boil a large pot of water on medium-high heat with ½ tsp of salt. Peel the potatoes and cut into 2cm cubes. Cook in the boiling water for 10-15 mins until cooked through, then drain and mash. Stir in ½ cup of milk, 1 tbsp of butter (if you have some), ¼ tsp of salt and a few grinds of black pepper.

For a quick pork option, heat the oven to 200 degrees. Transfer the pork belly from the frying pan to a tray, fat side up (keep the frying pan with the pork belly fat as we’ll use it later for the sauce). Mix half the honey and half the mustard and rub all over the scored fat. Put them into the oven for 20 mins then remove and allow to rest for at least 5 mins.

If you have time, take the slower pork option by heating your oven to 180 degrees. Transfer the pork belly from the frying pan to a tray, fat side up (keep the frying pan with the pork belly fat as we’ll use it later for the sauce). Mix half the honey and half the mustard and rub all over the scored fat. Put them into the oven for 45-60 mins then remove and allow to rest for at least 5 mins.

Put the pan you used for the pork back on medium heat. Once the fat in the pan melts, add the flour and stir to scrape off any bits from the pan. Dissolve the stock pot in 300ml of water and gradually add to the pan giving it all a good stir.

Bubble this sauce over a medium heat until it has reduced by half. Add the remaining honey and mustard and taste for seasoning and add more salt or pepper as you like. Tip: Add the juices that have leaked out of the rested meat for an extra hit of flavour.

While the sauce is reducing, boil another pot of water with ¼ tsp of salt (or use the pot from the potatoes). Cut and discard the ends from the green beans. Cook in the boiling water for 3-4 mins or until ‘al dente’. Tip: ‘Al dente’ simply means they have a little bit of crunch left in the middle.