I made the most sensational roast pork for dinner this evening. I was humming with delight at almost every mouthful to the point where my children asked if I was feeling ok or simply to about to sing at the dinner table. It was supremely tender and juicy, and sweetly flavoured with fresh ginger, fennel seeds, lemon and garlic. There was a side of salty crackling, that was diced and added to each plate upon serving. A big pot of kumera and desiree potato mash, provided the perfect carbohydrate partner. I also turned the one kilogram bag of fresh, earthy scented button mushrooms that my husband bought today into a tasty side dish with butter, tarragon and pepper. 

I can’t take all the credit for this delicious dish, because I did start with an impressive piece of organic pork neck from Feather and Bone butchery in Marrickville. The quality of the raw ingredients really do influence the taste, texture and aroma of the resulting dish. Now I don’t regularly place pork on my home cooking menu because it’s not a meat I have a lot of experience in cooking. However, when I have ventured into incorporating this sweet meat (as it’s described in the movie Babe), I have felt reassured by the results and my tastebuds. 

I also called my fellow foodie friend and pork fan Stephanie for advice on cooking tonight’s hefty piece of pork. Does it go into a hot oven for a short time or a slow oven for several hours? What do I do to make the skin crackle? Is the marinade I have mixed up on my own accord going to complement the pork? Stephanie is an outstanding home cook. She truly enjoys the process of cooking: the sizzling of the onions as they hit a hot pan; the emulsifying action of ingredients when making sauce; the sight and smell of fresh bread rising and baking. As per usual her advice was spot on and I have described the method in the recipe below. Yum, I can’t wait to make this meal again. 

Roast Pork with Ginger, Fennel, Lemon and Garlic to serve 8 people generously. 

1 x 1.7/1.8 kg piece of boneless pork neck with a layer of skin left on for crackling. 
sea salt 
1 cup verjuice or dry white wine

For the marinade paste:
1 tablespoon fennel seeds
1.5 tablespoons freshly grated ginger (leave the skin on because it contains extra vitamins)
4 fat cloves of garlic crushed
1/2 teaspoon chilli flakes
juice of a medium lemon
sea salt to taste (about 1 heaped teaspoon)

Preheat the oven to 230 degrees on a conventional setting. 

Boil the kettle and very carefully pour the boiling water over the skin of the pork. This opens the pores of the skin and assists in the crackling forming. I did this by holding the pork in one hand over the kitchen sink and carefully pouring the water with the other hand. Then dab the skin dry with kitchen paper towels. Using a sharp knife, score the skin in a lattice like pattern. Rub a couple of teaspoons of sea salt into the skin. 

This is what your marinade paste will look like once it is smeared over the pork.


Combine the ingredients for the marinade paste in a small bowl. Place the pork into a large baking tray and using your hands (which should be very clean), smear the marinade over all of the pork including the underside. Avoid the skin. 

Place the pork into your preheated oven and roast for 20 minutes to enable the scored skin to separate and become crispy and golden. 

Crackling is coming along…almost there. 


Remove from the oven and pour in the verjuice or white wine. Reduce the temperature to 150 degrees, immediately return the pork to the oven and roast for 3 hours. Do not cover. I basted the pork twice during this time. However you could just let it roast until ready and then spoon over the juices while the pork rests before carving. 

Once the 3 hours are up, remove from the oven, cover loosely with aluminium foil and rest for 15 minutes which is enough time to call the tribe to the table and sort out the recurrent dispute over whose turn it is to set take out the dinner plates, cutlery etc. Place the rested pork onto a decent sized chopping board and using a sharp knife, slice generous pieces for everyone to enjoy with crackling on the side.  

Tasty Tarragon Mushrooms to serve 8 people as a side dish

1 x kg button mushrooms – the fresher the better
100 grams unsalted butter
1 teaspoon dried tarragon leaves
good grind of black pepper
sea salt to taste

Take out a large saucepan which can adequately fit all the mushrooms in one go. Place over a medium heat and melt the butter with the tarragon. 

Add the mushrooms whole, season and stir gently until they are all coated with the herby-buttery mixture. Sauté for 15 minutes stirring every now and then until the mushrooms are a deep golden brown colour and are cooked but still slightly firm to the bite.  

Serve with the pork or make them into a quick vitamin rich meal, by piling onto toasted wholegrain bread with baby rocket and baked ricotta and spooning the mushroom-y sauces over the top.