Roast Pork Loin with Apple and Fennel

Ingredients

• 1.5 kg boneless pork loin, skin on, rolled and tied
• 1 tbsp coarse salt (for the crackling)
• 1 tsp fennel seeds, crushed
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 2 fennel bulbs, cut into wedges
• 3 eating apples, cored and quartered
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 200 ml dry cider or apple juice
• 200 ml chicken stock

Method

1. 1Score the skin deeply at 1 cm intervals without cutting into the meat. Rub salt, fennel seeds, and pepper vigorously into the cuts. Refrigerate uncovered overnight to dry the skin.
2. 2Remove from the fridge 1 hour before roasting. Preheat oven to 230 °C.
3. 3Place pork skin-up in a roasting tin. Roast at 230 °C for 25 minutes to blister the crackling.
4. 4Reduce to 180 °C. Toss fennel and apple around the pork with olive oil. Pour cider around (not over) the pork. Continue roasting for 60–70 minutes until a probe reads 68 °C.
5. 5Rest pork for 15 minutes. Deglaze the tin with stock and simmer for 5 minutes for a sauce. Slice and serve with the caramelised fennel and apple.