Name: Porchetta with lemongrass and lime leaf
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 4 h
Total time: 4 h 20 min
Yield: 10
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 2 ½ kg flat pork belly bones removed, skin scored; 4 garlic cloves finely chopped; 4 lime leaves stalks removed, roughly torn; 1 shallot finely chopped; 1 tbsp tomato purée; 1 tsp ground turmeric; 2 lemongrass stalks outer woody leaves removed, then finely chopped; 25g ginger peeled and finely chopped; 1 lime zested and juiced; ½ tbsp fish sauce; 1 red chilli finely chopped; 1 tsp sugar

Porchetta with lemongrass and lime leaf, on a wooden chopping board with two slices cut off, served with bowls of roasted parsnips, roast potatoes and kale in the background

2 ½ kg flat pork belly
bones removed, skin scored

SPICE PASTE

4 garlic cloves
finely chopped
4 lime leaves
stalks removed, roughly torn
1 shallot
finely chopped
1 tbsp tomato purée
1 tsp ground turmeric
2 lemongrass stalks
outer woody leaves removed, then finely chopped
25g ginger
peeled and finely chopped
1 lime
zested and juiced
½ tbsp fish sauce
1 red chilli
finely chopped
1 tsp sugar

Method

step 1
Pulse all the spice paste ingredients, with a good pinch of salt and pepper, in a mini chopper or food processor until you have a smooth paste. Do not be tempted to loosen it with water – you don’t want it to be too loose as it will all seep out when cooking.
step 2
Lay the pork skin-side down on a chopping board, score the flesh in a criss-cross pattern all over, then cut away a 3-4cm strip of flesh along the long side closest to you, leaving a flap of skin behind – this will make it a neater roll. Massage the paste deep into the cuts and all over the flesh, and put the cut strip of meat along the middle.
step 3
Starting from the longest side that hasn’t been cut, roll up the belly as tightly as you can, using the flap of skin to overlap at the end. Use butcher’s string to tie the joint tightly at 2cm intervals. You can do this up to 24 hrs ahead (the flavour will intensify over time). Sprinkle the outside with sea salt flakes.
step 4
When you’re ready to cook, heat the oven to 160C/140C fan/ gas 3. Put the porchetta into a snug roasting tin and roast for 3 hrs, then turn up the heat to 240C/220C fan/gas 9 and roast for 20-30 mins, checking every 10 mins to make sure it doesn’t burn – cook until the skin has crackled well. When the pork is ready, lift it onto a board to rest for 30 mins.
step 5
Serve with seasonal autumn veg or crispy rice, if you like.