ROASTED PORK BELLY, FENNEL & APPLE SALAD WITH VIOGNIER DRESSING

Witches Falls Wild Ferment Viognier is a fresh white wine with aromas of melon, citrus and tropical fruit. Here, we’ve used the wine to add a little oomph to this quick and easy salad dressing. Viognier pairs beautifully with crispy roasted pork belly.

Ingredients

2.5 kg pork belly, skin-on and scored (ask your butcher to do this)

2 teaspoons white peppercorns

2 teaspoons fennel seeds

2 teaspoons yellow mustard seeds

1 lemon, zest only

1 orange, zest only

4 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed

2 teaspoons of fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated light olive oil

2 teaspoons sea salt

FENNEL AND APPLE SALAD

1 large fennel bulb, thinly sliced (reserve fronds to serve with salad)

½ bunch celery, use the tender inner stems, thinly sliced

1 large red onion, peeled and thinly sliced

4 red radishes, thinly sliced

2 pink lady apples, thinly sliced widthways

1 unwaxed lemon, skin peeled without the pith and sliced thinly lengthways

30 ml lemon juice

VIOGNIER DRESSING

60 ml Witches Falls Wild Ferment

Viognier

30 ml lemon juice

60 ml extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon raw honey

1 heaped teaspoon Dijon mustard

½ teaspoon sea salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground white pepper

Method

To prepare the pork, place the pork into a large roasting tray and pour over enough boiling water to cover the belly. Leave for 20 minutes. Drain and pat dry with paper towels.

Place the peppercorns, fennel and mustard seeds in a heavy-based skillet over a medium heat, and toast for 3 minutes, or until the mustard pops and the spice is toasted. Place the spice in a mortar, and grind and pound until course. Blitz in a spice grinder if you prefer. Place the spice in a bowl and add the zest, garlic and ginger. Place the pork skin-side up in a large roasting tray and rub the paste into the skin and into the incisions. Refrigerate the pork overnight, uncovered.

Preheat the oven to 150°C. Remove the pork from the fridge and bring to room temperature, about 30 minutes. Rub or spray with oil and sprinkle salt over the skin, and roast for

1–1½ hours or until tender. Increase the heat to 200°C and roast for a further 10 minutes, or until the skin is crispy.

To make the salad, use a mandolin and guard to slice wafer-thin slices of the vegetables and apple. Half-fill a large bowl with iced water and add a few ice cubes. Place the vegetables, apple, lemon skin and juice in the bowl, and refrigerate overnight or for at least 1 hour.

To make the dressing, place all the ingredients in a jar and shake. Refrigerate until chilled. The dressing will keep refrigerated for up to 1 month.

Just before serving the pork, drain the salad ingredients and dry in a clean tea towel or salad spinner. Place the salad ingredients in a large bowl, dress and toss well. Serve the roasted pork belly with extra Dijon mustard and salad garnished with fennel fronds. Don’t forget to open a chilled bottle of Witches Falls Wild Ferment Viogner.