Author: [email protected]

It’s barbecue season! We’ve teamed up with home economics star Jack Monroe & Del Monte to serve this sunny delight

Jack Monroe’s Del Monte® spicy pork belly with prune chutney

PREP: Prep: 6-24 hours

COOKING: Cooking: 40 mins, plus 10 minutes cooling time

MAKES: 4-6

Method:

1. Strain the prunes, putting the juice in a large jar with a lid for the marinade. Set to one side.

2. Peel and crush (or mince) your garlic and add to the juice, with vinegar and a little oil. Mix Chinese five spice, fennel, salt & peppe and add most of this to the jar. Lid tightly and shake to mix and emulsify. Pop pork into the smallest food-safe sealable container that will hold it and pour 3/4 of the marinade carefully all over. Refrigerate for six-24 hours (no more).

3. Make the chutney. Destone the prunes by gently squeezingthem & pop into a medium saucepan. Peel and halve, then very finely slice onion & celery. Add to the pan with the remaining marinade and an extra tbsp of vinegar. Bring to the boil, then reduce to simmer and cook until the veg is very soft. You may need to add a splash of water, so keep an eye to make sure it doesn’t dry out, but it should take around 25 minutes. Remove from the heat and transfer to a clean, heat-proof jar, screw lid on while hot and leave to cool fully before popping in fridge.

4. When it’s time to cook the pork, take from the fridge for 20 minutes. Preheat your oven to 210oC, gas mark 6, with a shelf in the middle of it or just below. Transfer the pork to the small roasting dish and pour over the marinade to just below where the top fat layer starts. Rub the remaining marinade on the exposed fat. Pop the pork in for 10-12 minutes to crisp fat. Turn oven to 140oC, and cook further 90 minutes. Ovens vary, so check.

5. Place a wire cooling rack on top of a roasting tray with sides. Take pork from oven and place pieces on the wire rack to rest for 10 minutes.

6. For the gravy, mix 1tbsp each of oil / butter & flour in a small pan over a low heat. Gradually add the juices, stirring the whole time, and thin with stock or water as desired. Taste and season. Serve hot – it will thicken as it cools.

For the salad and Mandarin dressing:

• One can (300g) Del Monte® mandarin segments in Juice
• Light-coloured vinegar
• Light cooking oil of
your choice
• Salt and pepper
• A handful of fresh basil
• A handful of fresh parsley
• 100g mixed salad leaves
• 100g feta or other Greek-style salad cheese

PREP: 30 minutes to prepare the bean pickle, four days to settle, 20 minutes to prepare the salad

MAKES: 2 or 3 as a main dish or 6 to 8 as a side

Method:

The pickled beans will need to be made well ahead; they start to come into their own about four days after bottling, but it is worth the wait!

1. Drain & rinse your beans. Transfer to a large mixing bowl. Peel and very finely slice your onion and garlic, add. Measure in the dried herbs, mix & set it all to one side.

2. In a saucepan, combine vinegar, bay leaves, salt & pepper. Place on a medium hob ring on a high heat. Bring to the boil, then reduce to simmer. Add the bean mix and pour over the oil. Simmer for four or five more minutes. Remove the pan and stir well. Ladle evenly into clean, sterilised jars, filling to the neck to create an airtight seal. Fasten the lids immediately and leave to cool completely before transferring to the fridge. Gently turn the jars a few times at least once a day to redistribute the ingredients, before returning to the fridge.

3. To make the dressing: strain the mandarins through a fine-mesh sieve into a mixing bowl to separate the juice from the fruit. Pour the juice into a jar or bottle with a tight-fitting lid. Add an equal amount each of light-coloured vinegar and oil. Add a few pinches of salt and some pepper, and seal the vessel tightly. Shake well to emulsify and make your dressing and set it to one side.

4. To make the salad: add your salad leaves to a large mixing bowl, along with
most of the chopped parsley and whole basil leaves. Using a slotted spoon,
add a generous amount of the pickled beans, then add your drained mandarins and crumble in your feta. Dress generously with the mandarin dressing, toss briefly to coat everything. Serve with more black pepper to taste and any reserved herbs to garnish.

Jack’s tip 1:

The beans will keep for two months in the fridge unopened, but use within a week of opening.

Tip 2:

The salad dressing will keep in the fridge for up to 10 days, shake it every few days to re-combine it and it will last a bit longer.