Review of last week’s recipes: click here to see post
Highlight was definitely the sage-roasted pork belly. It is so deliciously rich and decadent, perfectly offset by the fresh fennel salad. Regarding the recipe, it says to roast in the oven at 160 degrees celsius for 3 hours, then increase the heat to 180 for the remaining 30 minutes. The increased heat is required to crisp the pork skin, making it spectacularly crunchy (there is nothing worse than a chewy piece of crackling — jaw-breaking!). Unfortunately, I found that 180 wasn’t hot enough. I ended up heating a fry pan until very hot with a little olive oil and frying, skin down, to get it started, then back in a hot oven (about 200-210) to finish it off. I’ve also been advised that putting the oven on a high grill setting will also help it along.

The cabbage rolls were lovely, but be sure to ask your delicatessen to slice your pancetta thinly — too thick and it can tend to dominate the dish.

Orecchiette with cauliflower & black pepper pangrattato
Delicious Magazine
Issue 96, page 40

Fennel & almond soup with green olive smash
Delicious Magazine
Issue 96, page 51

Roast salmon with tarragon and caper pangrattato,
served with green beans and scalloped potatoes
Delicious Magazine
Issue 74, page 84

Store-cupboard soup
Delicious Magazine
Issue 74, page 26

Hummingbird cupcakes with cream cheese frosting
(for the RSPCA fund-raising day!)
The Crabapple Bakery cupcake cookbook
Pages 57 & 149