Recipe of the Day: Holiday Pork Roll

For the Pork Roll:

• 1.7 kg pork neck, butterflied for rolling
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 200 ml dry white wine
• A little olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves (unpeeled)
• 1 sprig of thyme
• 25 g Lurpak butter (softened)
• 1 tbsp honey
• 6–7 dried fruits of your choice
• 1 tbsp pine nuts

For the Sauce:

• 1 carrot
• 1 onion
• 1 piece of celery
• 1 leek leaf
• 1 sprig of thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 5–6 peppercorns
• 40 g Lurpak butter
• 20 g flour
• 600 ml hot meat or chicken stock

Preparation

For the Pork Roll:

1. Preheat the convection oven to 180°C.
2. If desired, stuff the pork roll with dried fruits and pine nuts. Season the interior with salt and pepper, then roll and secure with kitchen twine or a roasting net from your butcher.
3. Coat the outside of the roll with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
4. Heat a large oven-safe skillet and sear the pork roll for 7–8 minutes until golden brown on all sides. (If your skillet isn’t oven-safe, transfer to a baking dish after adding the wine.)
5. Add the garlic cloves and thyme sprig to the skillet, then deglaze with white wine.
6. Cover with parchment paper and foil, then transfer to the oven.
7. Roast for 2 hours, occasionally basting the roll with its own juices to keep it moist.
8. Mix the softened butter with honey and a little orange zest. After 2 hours, uncover the pork and brush with this mixture.
9. Roast uncovered for another 10–15 minutes to caramelize the surface. Baste with pan juices during this time.
10. Remove from the oven, cover, and let rest for 20 minutes before slicing.

For the Sauce:

1. Wash and dry the vegetables. Chop them into large pieces.
2. Heat the butter in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Sauté the vegetables for 5–7 minutes until caramelized.
3. Sprinkle in the flour and stir for 2 minutes to cook off the raw flavor.
4. Gradually add the hot stock while whisking, and season with salt and pepper. Add the thyme sprig, bay leaf, and peppercorns.
5. Simmer on low heat for 20 minutes, then strain through a fine sieve.
6. Add 2–3 tablespoons of the roasting pan juices to the sauce and mix well. Keep warm until serving.
7. Slice the pork roll and arrange on a platter.
8. Pour the warm sauce over each portion.
9. Pair with roasted potatoes, mashed potatoes, or a festive salad.

Enjoy!

Source: Argiro Barbarigou