SLOW ROAST PORK BELLY with Cannellini Beans and a Salsa Verde

Strangely OK for a Summer's Sunday lunch

We had this the other day, and I later turned the leftovers into a faux cassoulet with the addition of spicy bangers cooked in with chorizo, more beans, and tinned toms. It was delicious.

This requires a bit of prep and time management. (So say think Friday for Sunday lunch).

Firstly, the Belly of Pork. You want the ribs off and not rolled up, and you want about 3-4 inches by 2-3 inches per person. Those very ordinary, often tasteless joints you see in Supermarkets will serve 3-4; otherwise, get a proper piece from a decent butcher and get him to correctly score the meat - which is through the rind, into the fat, but NOT into the meat. Also, get him to give you the bones.

Then, you’ll create a dry fennel rub for a dry marinade. You can buy this online or make your own. You can also just use fennel seeds and salt. Use a Pestle and mortar or an old coffee grinder or your smart herb grinder

FENNEL RUB

• 6 teaspoons fennel seeds

• 3 teaspoons smoked hot paprika

• 3 teaspoon onion powder

• 1.5 teaspoon coarse salt

• 1 teaspoon Black peppercorns

Wash your hands.

Pat the pork dry, and rub the powdery, grainy mix into every nook and croony. Use your hands and really squeeze it in to all the cuts in the rind and on the sides and meat side. Put the meat into a porcelain or similar dish that holds it all and the spare rub and pop it into the fridge. Go back a couple of times over the next 24 hours and repeat the rubbing in.

Bear in mind that if lunch on Sunday is at 1:30 pm and you’re going to rest the meat for 30 minutes, this needs to go into a hot oven at 09.00.

You have two options here: