When Lucy, from our story, was little, her dad used to make her his famous pesto pork. Now, with little ones of her own, she loves getting the whole family together, firing up the barbecue and treating her dad to his favourite meal.
Little help This recipe calls for a barbecue, but it can be cooked in the oven, too. Visit tes.co/pestopork to find out how.
LU CY ’S ‘ DAD’S FAVO URI T E ’ P ES TO P ORK Serves 6 Takes 1 hr 35 mins, plus marinating Cost per serve £2.03 1kg pork leg joint 1 tsp fennel seeds 4 tbsp olive oil 1 tbsp red wine vinegar 1 tsp dried oregano 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped 2-3 courgettes (about 500g), sliced 1 fennel bulb, cut into 1cm thick slices, fronds reserved 1 red pepper, cut into 6 strips 1 lemon, zested and cut into wedges ¼ tsp chilli flakes (optional) 1 x 130g pot finest* pesto with fresh basil, to serve 1 x 85g bag watercress, to serve
1 Cut the string from the pork and unroll. Remove the skin, cut it in half and put on a plate, scored-side up. Pat dry with kitchen paper. Crush the fennel seeds with a pestle and mortar and rub over the skin. Cover with clingfilm and chill. 2 Butterfly the pork by slicing it almost all the way through so you can open it like a book. Put in a dish, add 2 tbsp oil, the vinegar, oregano, garlic, and some black pepper. Cover and marinate in the fridge for 1-24 hours. Remove from the fridge 30 mins before cooking; sprinkle with a pinch of salt. 3 Preheat the oven to gas 9, 240°C, fan 220°C. Put the pork skin on a rack over a grill tray and roast for 30-40 mins, until crisp. Leave to cool then cut into shards. 4 Meanwhile, light the barbecue and wait until the flames have died down and the coals are ashen. Grill the pork* for 25-30 mins, turning occasionally, until cooked through. Cover with foil and leave to rest. 5 Toss the courgettes, fennel slices and pepper in 2 tbsp oil. Barbecue for 3-4 mins on each side, until charred. Toss with the zest and chilli, if using. Scatter over the fennel fronds. Slice the pork and serve with the pesto, veg, watercress, crackling and lemon wedges. Each serving contains Energy
2309kJ 557kcal 28%
Fat
Saturates
44g 11g 62% 55%
Sugars
Salt
4g 4%
0.7g 12%
of the reference intake. See page 146. Carbohydrate 5g Protein 36g Fibre 1g
32
*For best results, cook the pork in the oven first then place it on the barbecue to pick up that delicious smoky flavour. Please note that cooking times will vary
Lucy’s Food Love Story…
