FLOWER POT KITCHEN: GLORIOUS ROAST PORK AND CRACKLING WITH CAULIFLOWER CHEESE AND SUMPTIOUS STOCK GRAVY

16 Sept 2012

GLORIOUS ROAST PORK AND CRACKLING WITH CAULIFLOWER CHEESE AND SUMPTIOUS STOCK GRAVY

THE BEST EVER ROAST CRACKLING BELLY PORK WITH RICH CREAMY CAULIFLOWER CHEESE AND THE MOST EXCELLENT SPEEDY ROASTED VEG GRAVY

INGREDIENTS

1 side of fresh belly pork (approx 10")

3 tbsp from the dripping bowl

1 tbsp salt

1 cauliflower

200ml double cream

100g strong cheddar cheese

Pinch grated nutmeg

Salt and pepper

FOR THE GRAVY

2 courgette large chunks

1 small onion fine diced

5 small onions whole

6 small red onions whole

1/2 bulb garlic whole

2 yellow pepper large chunks

2 green pepper large chunks

1 glug ooil

CRACKING CRACKLING

Heat the oven and roasting tray to 220 degrees, take your side of belly pork and make sure it is completely dry, rub generously with salt. Place in the pre heated oiled roasting tin and cook for approx 30 minutes and then turn the heat down to 200 degrees for the next 20 minutes, and at the same time add your vegetables to be roasted, after the 20 minutes turn the heat down to 160 degrees for a final 10 minutes of cooking. I like to rest my meat covered on a hot plate for 5-10 minutes.

FABULOUS GRAVY

Pan fry the diced onion in a dash of ooil and butter, add 1/3 of the roasted vegetables and 100ml wine, reduce by half and then add 500ml water or chicken stock and all of the roasting juices scraped from the tin, I also pour in any juices from the rested meat, add a tbsp of double cream then simmer and reduce a little and season to taste. Pour though a sieve and return the gravy to the pan, if you want to thicken slightly either reduce further or use a tsp of cornflour.

QUICK CHEATS CAULIFLOWER CHEESE PUREE

Steam or boil a cauliflower until very tender, puree in a blender till smooth, season to taste, reserve a couple of tbsp of the cooking water in case you need to loosen the puree. Heat the cream in a pan, once simmering add the cheese and stir well, season with grated nutmeg and white pepper and salt to your taste. Add the cauliflower puree into the rich creamy cheese sauce and keep warm as when this cools it will set, this makes great croquettes.

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LIFE MY PASSION

Welcome to my daily life of cooking, one winters day many years ago my family and I were all inspired by a back to back rainy day of River Cottage this got us to stop talking about and start actually doing, suddenly three weeks later eight vegetable beds were dug, greenhouse erected and our first vegetables were propagating, this was the start to raising and growing our own food, our fabulous son Oscar changed our path in life which lead us to sell our small thriving restaurant of 10 yrs and to start our new life (Terrifying!) a life of the self sufficient in touch with nature and seasons, taking a step back and looking forward to a slower change of pace and making the most of every moment.

My passion for cooking was stronger than ever and having time at home with Oscar I found I had a new direction and I was no longer striving for perfection, I was suddenly very passionate for the enjoyment of the other side of food, something I had not realised, being the Chef/Cook and every other duty of your own small restaurant made me see that I never actually took time to cook what I wanted!

So there I was muddy boots and hands digging deep in more than one sense and I found myself transported back in time to where everyone grew some of their own food, it is a wonderful world with a real sense of achievement and loss, Slugs Snails and Caterpillars! But thats another story! Childhood memories of summers when I lived with my grand parents reminded me of so much that I had learnt about the make do and mend generation that I had forgotten.

Now as a family we love our free wild food days where we gather what nature has provided, have gone from being mini mini garden urban small holders, who did raised pigs at home because we could not wait to find land and supporting ourselves from our garden to now owning a very small farm that allows us to grow more vegetables for the whole of our family and neighbours, raise our own gorgeous Gloucestershire Old Spot pigs, (Sausages!) and pets! Dorset Down sheep, chickens for eggs and pet goats! Suddenly having large quantities of produce started to wake up the Cook in me!

The Cook was awake that part of me that wants to cook for the masses and I found myself setting up Flowerpot Kitchen, a Farmers Market Stall, I wanted to use our honest raised meats and make old fashioned pork pies, rabbit pies and game pies from the local game keeper along with old fashioned techniques and the best hot water crust pastry. This in turn grew to a small cottage industry from home weekly supplying three farm shops and a deli along with also attending three farmers markets A few years later there came a time when my son Oscar's health changed and it was an easy decision to stop.

I still hold the occasional pop up 40 seater restaurant or gourmet lunch which we do for local charities for the love of sharing food and to remind that Cook in me why I love our go slower self sufficient life!

So here I am sitting amoung the vegetables watching the chickens loving that every season nature teaches me something new and that nature is in charge! She has taught me to just go with it and grow. Give it a try from a tray of salad on your windowsill to a few tomato plants it all counts.