Orange,Sage and Fennel Roast Pork

1. Preheat the oven to 230 degrees C.

2. Place the pork on a roasting rack
in a very clean sink. Trace the cuts
with a very sharp knife to make
sure they run deep. Fill a kettle with
water and bring it to the boil. Pour
the boiling water over the pork so
that the skin contracts and opens
up the slits. Repeat this step.

3. Move the rack with the pork on
it to a clean tea towel and dry the
pork thoroughly. Place the pork in
a baking dish in the fridge for one
hour, or overnight.

4. For the herb paste, crush the
fennel seeds in a pestle and mortar,
tip them into a bowl and mix with
the rest of the ingredients.

5. To prepare the pork for roasting,
turn it over onto a clean, dry board
and, with a sharp knife, cut a few
slits in the underside. Rub some
of the herb paste into the slits and
then up the sides of the loin. Rub
fine sea salt thoroughly into the
scored fat and then massage
in the herb paste, trying to get it
into the scored slits. Sprinkle the
fat generously with sea salt flakes.

6. Place the loin so that it is sitting
comfortably on the rib bones, and
surround with the onion quarters.

7. Roast for 20 minutes at 230 degrees C,
then reduce the heat to 180 degrees C and
roast for 30 minutes per 500g.

8. Remove the pork from the ovenand place on a doubled piece of
foil. Turn on the grill and turn the
heat onto maximum.

9. Pour off as much fat as possible
from the roasting tin and add the
wine and chicken stock to the
pan. Place over a medium-high
heat and let the liquid bubble
away, stirring occasionally
until the gravy has reduced
slightly. Strain and set aside.

10. Once the oven has heated up,
place the pork (on the roasting
level) in the oven for 15 minutes
or until the crackling has puffed up
and crackled. Keep a close eye on
it as it can burn quickly, and keep
turning the pork so that it `crackles’
evenly. You can prop it up with
some tinfoil if one side is lower
than the other.

11. Remove from the oven and
leave to rest (uncovered) for at
least 20 minutes. Carve and serve
on parsnip purée with lots of gravy,
braised fennel, blanched brussels
sprouts and beans tossed in butter
and chopped parsley.