Delicious Australia – (08)August 2019

INTERVIEW

SAMANTHA

JONES

PORTRAIT

PHOTOGRAPHY

SHARYN

CAIRNS

FOOD

PHOTOGRAPHY

JEREMY SIMONS

STYLING

KIRSTEN JENKINS

MECHANDISING

EMMALY STEWART

THE CHEF AND

THE BUTCHER

C:WhenI workedwithGordonRamsay,
wedidporchettaseverydayandit was
a lotofwork.Butit’seasyenoughat home

• porchettais great.Forme,I thinkyou
  shouldstuffit witha greatstuffing.
  A:Yeah,it’sallaboutthestuffing.
  C:Somyideaforthestuffingis – we’lltalk
  aboutthecracklinglater;I alreadyhaveso
  muchtodo,butthat’smydepartment, too.
  A:What’smydepartment,then?
  C:Sellingmeattogetthebestcrackling
  ever!AsWhitneysaid,crackis whack!
  A:We’lldedicatethistoWhitneyHouston.
  Butwhyareyoutalkingaboutcrackling?
  You’remeanttostartwiththestuffing!
  C:Fine.We’regoingtogetsomefat
  in there.Soa porksausagemeat.
  A:Yeah,I likethatforstuffing.
  C:Alright,I’mtalking.SoI wantedto
  goa bitoldschoolandputsomesundried
  tomatoesin there,fennelseeds,sage.
  A:That’stheItalianflagright there!
  Red,whiteandgreen.
  C:Bythetimeit cooksit’sIrish– it turns
  a bitorange!ThenI wanttoputsome
  cavoloneroin thereforveg.Sowhen
  youcutit, it’saboutthewow.
  A:WehavetheItalianflagbytheIrish.
  Thebestcutforporchettais definitelythe
  belly.Niceandfatty.Askyourbutcherto
  scoretheskintomakeit niceandcrackly.
  Youneeda bitofsaltanda bitofoliveoil.
  C:Thethingaboutcracklingis ideallyyou
  wanttobuythebellya fewdaysbefore
  you’regoingtouseit.Youwanttoleave
  it in thefridgeandfortheskintodryout.
  A:Yes,that’sgood,butif you’veleftit too
  late,whatyoucandois boilthekettle–
  havea cupoftea– andpourthe hot water
  overtheskinsoit blisters.
  C:HasmyCroatiangrandmotherarrived?
  A:What happens is the hot water and

steamsendthe skin

intoshock.

C:That’sjustsentme

intoshock.I’mtrying

todrawthemoisture

outandthisguy

is enjoyinga cupofteawiththepig!

A:Listentothebutcherthistime.

C:No, listen to the chef. The pig chef!

PORCHETTAWITHSAGE

& FENNELSTUFFING

SERVES12-14

Forbestcrackling,beginthisrecipe1 day

ahead. You will need butcher’s twine.

1 bunchcavolonero, trimmed,

stalksremoved

550gday-oldsourdoughloaf, crusts

removed,coarselytorn

1 bunchflat-leafparsley,leavespicked

(^1) / 2 bunchsageleaves,leavespicked
2 tsptoastedfennelseeds, crushed
1 tspgroundallspice
70gsundriedtomatoes,drained
(^2) / 3 cup(160ml)extravirginoliveoil
400gporkandfennelsausages,
casingsremoved
3kgpieceofboneless pork belly,
trimmed
Tomakethestuffing,blanchcavolonero
ina saucepanofboilingwaterandrefresh
inicedwater.Drainwellandchop.Place
sourdough,cavolonero,herbs,spices,
tomatoesandoliveoilina food
processorandwhizuntilwellcombined.
Placeina largebowlwiththesausage
minceandseason.Usingyourhands,
mixuntilcombined.Chilluntilrequired.
Layporkbellyout,skin-sidedown,
and butterfly the meat from the centre
ColinFassnidgeandAnthonyPuharichpop
thekettleonanddebatetheinsandouts
of a cracking, crackling porchetta.
outwardsononesidetoseparatemeat
fromtheskinwithoutcuttingalltheway
through,thenopenoutto1 largepiece.
Seasonmeatandspreadevenlywith
stuffing.Rollintoa logsotheskinis over
thetopandnotrolledintothecentre
oftheporchetta.Cut8 piecesofbutcher’s
twinelongenoughtotiearoundthe
porkandlaythematevenintervalson
a bench.Placetherolledporkontothe
twineandtiea knotin eachtofirmly
securethepork.Seasonskinwithsalt
andleaveuncoveredin thefridge
overnightorforupto 24 hours.
Preheata fan-forcedovento250°C.
Placea wirerackinsidea roastingtray
andplaceporchettaontherackwiththe
seamunderneath,drizzlewitholiveoil
andseasonalloverwithfinecookingsalt.
Roastfor 30 minutes.Reduceheatto
180°Candroastfora further1 hour 25
minutesoruntilskinis cracklingandmeat
is cooked.Removefromovenandrest
porchetta for 15 minutes before carving.
Abonelesscuttakenfromtheunderside
ofa pig,porkbellyis highlysoughtafter
foritsgenerouslayerofflavoursomefat.
Perfectcracklingrequireslowskin
moistureanda highoventemperature.
Thedryouterskinbecomescrispand
goldenwhenroastedinitiallyin a hotoven
yielding tender, juicy meat beneath.
BUTCHER’SCUT
P O R K B EL LY
46 delicious.com.au
MEAT MARKET.