Pork Belly with Green and Black Olive Tapenade

Inspired by a dish I ate at Amisfield Winery, near Queenstown, on the South Island of New Zealand.

Serves 6 — 8

1 x 2.2kg (5lb) pork belly with crackling Rocket leaves Green and black olive Tapenade (see recipe below) Flakes of sea salt

Score the pork at 5mm (¼in) intervals. Sprinkle both the rind and flesh side with salt and allow to season for 2 — 3 hours. Wash and dry well.

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4. Put the pork, skin side up on a chopping board, season with Maldon sea salt and cracked black pepper. Pour 1cm (½ inch) water into a roasting tin and roast the joint on a wire rack in the roasting tin. Allow 25-28 minutes per 450g (1lb). Baste with the rendered pork fat, every now and then.

Meanwhile, make the green and black Tapenade.

Green and Black Olive Tapenade: 75g (3oz) black olives, stoned Kalamata 75g (3oz) green olives, Picholine 2 large cloves garlic, peeled and chopped 2 anchovies 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Put the olives, garlic, anchovies and olive oil into a food processor and whizz for a few seconds — just long enough to chop the olives fairly coarsely: it shouldn’t be a puree.

Cut a slice of belly 5cm (2in) thick. Choose a rectangular plate, if possible. Scatter a few rocket leaves along the plate and lay the pork on top. Drizzle some Tapenade along the plate. Sprinkle the pork with a few flakes of sea salt, and serve.