Glazed belly of Castleton Tamworth pork, fondant apple, thyme mash and Marsala cream

Matt Dobson: Chef

Ingredients: serves 6

Glazed pork belly:

1 pork belly
1 large carrot (chopped)
1 medium sized leek (chopped)
1 medium onion (chopped)
2 litres chicken stock
1 litre apple juice
1 small red chilli (chopped)
1 star anise
1 cinnamon stick
Salt and pepper to season

Marsala cream:

1 litre of Marsala
250ml cream

Thyme mash:

6 Maris Piper potatoes (chopped)
3 sprigs of thyme

Fondant apples:

3 granny smith apples (chopped)
2 blocks of butter

Method:

Glazed pork belly:

Preheat the oven to 180°C / 350°F / Gas Mark 4.
Bone out and skin the pork belly. Season both sides and roll belly tightly, tying with string. Sear in a hot frying pan until golden brown.
Chop carrot, chilli, leek, and onion and sauté with some oil in a large pot. Add apple juice and chicken stock, star anise and cinnamon.
Place pork into the liquid and cook in the oven for 2½ hours. Remove from liquor and leave to cool. Strain liquid from the braising stock and reduce by two thirds.
Once the pork is cool slice into desired portion sizes. Seal pork in a pan and then put back in braising liquor to heat through.

Marasala cream:

Reduce the Marsala by three quarters.
Add chicken stock and reduce by three quarters and add cream.
Cut potatoes into even sizes and boil until soft.

Thyme mash:

Strain and mash, adding butter, cream, thyme and seasoning.

Fondant apple:

Peel and cut into appropriate shape and size and cook out in butter until just soft.

Serve:

Place the mash in the middle of a plate. Next lay slices of the pork on top. Add the apples around the dish to decorate and pour the sauce over and to the side - dress with a sprig of thyme.