Spiced Pork Belly with Roasted Plums

• Servings

  6

INGREDIENTS

• 1kg piece pork belly, skin scored
• 1 tbsp sea salt
• 2 tsp black peppercorns
• 1 star anise
• 2 tsp fennel seeds
• 1/2 tsp dried chilli flakes
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• Roasted Plums
• 6 the MONTAGUE tree™ plums, halved
• 2 tbsp maple syrup
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 60ml dry white wine
• 2 fresh bay leaves
• 3 sprigs thyme
• Sea salt and pepper

METHOD

• Preheat the oven to 200C.
• Place the salt, peppercorns, star anise, fennel seeds and dried chilli flakes in a mortar and pestle and crush until you have a fairly fine texture. A few larger bits of spices is fine too. Drizzle the pork belly with the olive oil and rub the spice mix all over the pork. Place the pork belly skin-side up on a rack in a roasting tray and fill the tray with 2cm of water. Roast in the oven until the pork is cooked through and the skin has crackled, around 60 minutes. Allow to rest for 10-15 minutes.
• Reduce the oven to 180C.
• Meanwhile, nestle the MONTAGUE tree™ plums, cut side up, in a small roasting tray. Pour over the maple syrup, olive oil and wine and nestle in the herbs. Season with salt and pepper.
• Roast in the oven for 10-15 minutes or until just beginning to collapse. Check for seasoning.
• Arrange the pork belly on a serving board and spoon the plums in and around then serve.