ROAST PORK LOIN WITH CONFIT APPLES

Serves 4 2 teaspoons sea salt flakes 1.5kg rolled pork loin, rind scored 1 carrot, roughly chopped 1 onion, roughly chopped 2 celery sticks, roughly chopped 6 garlic cloves 5 bay leaves 1 tablespoon fennel seeds 2 oranges, rind finely grated 1 tablespoon olive oil 2 tablespoons roasted plain flour 1 cup sweet apple cider 2 cups chicken stock roast potatoes, to serve CONFIT APPLES 100g butter 1 cinnamon stick 5 whole cloves 1 cup caster sugar 4 Granny Smith apples, peeled 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar

Preheat oven to 200°C. Rub salt into pork rind. Place carrot, onion, celery, garlic, bay leaves, fennel and orange rind in a roasting pan. Place pork on top. Drizzle pork with oil and rub into rind. Roast for 30 minutes or until rind crackles. Reduce oven to 180°C and roast for a further 1 hour or until just cooked. Transfer pork to a chopping board and cover with foil. Drain liquid from roasting pan, reserving ½ cup. Discard vegetables. Place roasting pan over a medium heat. Add reserved pan juices and sprinkle with flour. Cook, stirring, until a deep golden paste forms. Gradually add cider and stock, stirring until smooth. Cook, stirring, until mixture boils. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes or until a rich gravy forms. Strain into a serving jug. Meanwhile, to make confit apples, place butter, cinnamon and cloves in a heavy-based frying pan over a low heat until butter melts. Add sugar and stir until combined. Add apples and cook for 15–20 minutes or until bottom halves of apples are caramelised. Turn apples and cook for a further 15–20 minutes. Add vinegar, increase heat to medium and cook for 5 minutes or until liquid is reduced. Remove from heat. Slice pork and serve with roast potatoes, confit apples and gravy.