Spiced porchetta with cherry tkemali sauce
Tkemali is a Georgian sour plum sauce to accompany roast meat.
- 2.5 kg pork belly, scored at 1cm intervals
- Vegetable oil, for drizzling
- Fine sea salt, for rubbing
- 3 red onions, cut into wedges
- 1 garlic bulb, halved horizontally
- 2 oranges, thinly sliced
- SPICE PASTE
- 2 tsp each coriander seeds, fennel seeds and black peppercorns
- 1 tsp fenugreek seeds
- 6 garlic cloves, crushed
- 60 ml (¼ cup) olive oil
- CHERRY TKEMALI SAUCE
- 600 gm frozen pitted cherries
- 1 tbsp pomegranate molasses
- 2 small garlic cloves, crushed
- 2 tsp Aleppo pepper
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- ¼ cup each coarsely chopped coriander and dill, plus extra coarsely chopped to serve
- Place pork on a wire rack over an oven tray and refrigerate uncovered for at least 24 hours or up to 3 days.
- For spice paste, dry-roast spices in a small frying pan over medium heat until fragrant (1 minute). Transfer to a mortar and pestle and pound until coarsely crushed. Combine spices, garlic, 1 tbsp salt flakes and olive oil in a small bowl.
- Preheat oven to 240°C fan-forced. Place pork, skin-side down, on a clean work surface. Rub spice paste all over flesh and roll to form a cylinder; tie at 2cm intervals with kitchen string. Drizzle pork skin with oil and scatter with salt, rubbing into cuts. Place pork on a wire rack set over a large, deep roasting pan. Roast pork until crackling forms all over (40 minutes). Reduce oven temperature to 130°C fan-forced. Remove pork from oven. Carefully, drain off excess fat in base of pan. Place onion wedges and garlic in base of pan. Place pork on top. Pour 500ml water into base of pan; roast (1 hour). Add orange slices to pan and roast until very tender (1-1½ hours). Set aside, covered, to rest (30 minutes).
- Meanwhile, for cherry tkemali sauce, combine half the cherries, pomegranate molasses, garlic and 125ml (½ cup) water in a saucepan over medium heat; cook until cherries are tender (6-8 minutes). Cool briefly; transfer half the cherry mixture to a food processor and process until smooth. Return to pan with remaining cherries and spices and cook, stirring, until thickened (5 minutes). Remove from the heat; stir in dill and coriander, then season (see note).
- Transfer porchetta to a chopping board and thickly slice with a serrated knife. Arrange onion wedges, orange slices, garlic and pork on a large serving platter; drizzle with pan juices. Serve with tkemali sauce on the side.
We’ve used cherries instead of plums for a seasonal and festive spin in this Christmas table centrepiece.
Note: Rolled porchetta will keep refrigerated for 2 days. Bring to room temperature before roasting (1-2 hours). Tkemali sauce can be made 3 days ahead (without herbs); stir in herbs just before serving.
Method
Place pork on a wire rack over an oven tray and refrigerate uncovered for at least 24 hours or up to 3 days.
For spice paste, dry-roast spices in a small frying pan over medium heat until fragrant (1 minute). Transfer to a mortar and pestle and pound until coarsely crushed. Combine spices, garlic, 1 tbsp salt flakes and olive oil in a small bowl.
Preheat oven to 240°C fan-forced. Place pork, skin-side down, on a clean work surface. Rub spice paste all over flesh and roll to form a cylinder; tie at 2cm intervals with kitchen string. Drizzle pork skin with oil and scatter with salt, rubbing into cuts. Place pork on a wire rack set over a large, deep roasting pan. Roast pork until crackling forms all over (40 minutes). Reduce oven temperature to 130°C fan-forced. Remove pork from oven. Carefully, drain off excess fat in base of pan. Place onion wedges and garlic in base of pan. Place pork on top. Pour 500ml water into base of pan; roast (1 hour). Add orange slices to pan and roast until very tender (1-1½ hours). Set aside, covered, to rest (30 minutes).
Meanwhile, for cherry tkemali sauce, combine half the cherries, pomegranate molasses, garlic and 125ml (½ cup) water in a saucepan over medium heat; cook until cherries are tender (6-8 minutes). Cool briefly; transfer half the cherry mixture to a food processor and process until smooth. Return to pan with remaining cherries and spices and cook, stirring, until thickened (5 minutes). Remove from the heat; stir in dill and coriander, then season (see note).
Transfer porchetta to a chopping board and thickly slice with a serrated knife. Arrange onion wedges, orange slices, garlic and pork on a large serving platter; drizzle with pan juices. Serve with tkemali sauce on the side.
