main · Cooking course

Ingredients

• Rosemary — 3 stems
• Thyme — 1 bunch
• Pork neck — 2 kg
• Black peppercorns — 2 tbsp
• Bay leaf — 12 pcs
• Parsley — 1 bunch
• Sea salt — 100 g
• Honey — 3 tbsp
• Garlic — 1 head + 4 cloves
• Dried figs — 300 g, finely chopped
• Shallot — 2 pcs, finely chopped
• Fennel — 4 pcs (3 + 1)
• Sugar — 50 g
• Butter — 100 g
• Balsamic vinegar — 50 ml
• Bread crumbs — 75 g
• Black pepper — to taste
• Vegetable oil — 25 ml
• Dry white wine — 75 ml
• Oranges — 1 pc
• Lime — 1 pc

Instructions

Brine

1. In a ~6 L pot pour 2 L water. Add the sea salt. Add honey, bay leaves, black pepper, the head of garlic halved across the equator, parsley, rosemary and thyme. Cut off the fennel tops and add them to the pot. Squeeze the lime in and add the spent half too.
2. Bring to a boil and turn off — no need to actually boil. By this point the solids (salt, honey) should be dissolved.
3. Let the brine cool — set the pot in a sink of cold water.
4. Once cold, add the pork neck and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.

Stuffing

1. Heat a large pan. Add butter; once it melts add oil.
2. Add the shallot, stir. It should weep.
3. Coarsely chop and add 4–5 garlic cloves.
4. Add chopped fennel, stir; salt, pepper, stir.
5. Add the chopped dried figs; stir.
6. Add a few more cubes of butter.
7. Pour balsamic glaze; stir.
8. Add white wine; stir.
9. Cook on low to a jam/porridge consistency. No liquid should remain at the bottom of the pan.
10. Optionally add breadcrumbs.

Pork with chutney — assembly

1. Take the pork out of the brine. If it’s brined more than overnight, rinse off excess salt under cold water. Pat dry with paper towel.
2. Cut a pocket in the pork — first a long slit on one side; then two perpendicular slits inside.
3. Stuff the pork with chutney — without overdoing it. The chutney should sit loosely with room.
4. Close the pocket and tie with kitchen string. Don’t pull too tight. Use multiple ties along the length.
5. Place on a rack with a tray underneath. Roast at 180–190 °C for an hour.

Garnish

1. Halve the fennel, then cut each half into thirds, keeping the firm root attached so the pieces don’t fall apart.
2. Melt butter in a pan.
3. Squeeze in the orange; add sugar, pepper, salt.
4. Stir the liquid and add the fennel pieces.
5. Cook on low so the fennel is done by the time most of the liquid has evaporated to a syrup.

Serving

1. Take the pork out, tent with foil, rest 10–15 min.
2. Place 3 pieces of fennel on the plate.
3. Drizzle the free space with balsamic glaze.
4. Next to the fennel, a slice of pork. Spoon over the pan juices.
5. Drizzle the fennel with its sauce.