Meals for under £10: Slow roast pork belly mustard mash

WE all remember Flora Shedden from Great British Bake Off.

Now Flora’s published her own cookery book, Gatherings. We love this pork recipe which is a perfect Sunday lunch.

You’ll need:

2 apples

2 red onions

2 banana shallots or 1 large onion

few sprigs of thyme, leaves picked

1.5kg (3lb 5oz) pork belly

700g (1lb 9oz) King Edward potatoes

100ml (3½fl oz) milk

50g (1¾oz) unsalted butter

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

2 teaspoons grainy mustard

½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

125ml (4fl oz) white wine

Method:

Preheat the oven to the highest possible setting. Core both apples and chop into eighths. Cut the onions into wedges. Mix together with the thyme and arrange in the centre of a roasting tray in a rectangle that’s the same size as your pork belly piece.

Score long slashes into the top of the pork belly, leaving a space of 1–2cm between each slash and cutting into the first layer of meat, not any deeper. Season liberally, then lay the meat on top of the apples and onions. Drizzle with a little olive oil. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes until the top of the pork belly is crisp and golden.

Reduce the oven temperature to 140C/120C fan/gas mark 1/275F. Cook for a further three to four hours. Every hour or so, you might want to mix up the onions and apples to prevent any on the outside from burning.

About 30 minutes before the meat is cooked, cook the potatoes. Drain, then add the milk and butter to the pan. Mash roughly, then add the mustards and nutmeg. Stir in well.

Pour the cooking juices from the roasting tray into a saucepan with the white wine, reserving the apples and onions. Bring to the boil and reduce to the consistency of gravy.

Gatherings: Recipes For Feasts Great And Small by Flora, published by Mitchell Beazley, £25, octopusbooks.co.uk