Barbecued pork belly with zingy salsa verde

PREPARATION TIME 15 MINS COOKING TIME 2 HOURS 45 MINS SERVES 4

1.5kg boneless pork belly

1 tbsp salt

2 bunches asparagus, trimmed

2 bunches broccolini, trimmed

1 red onion, cut into wedges

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

250g punnet vine-ripened

cherry tomatoes

Pita bread

Lemon cheeks, to serve

SALSA VERDE

½ cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley, plus extra leaves, to serve

¹⁄³ cup finely chopped mint,

plus extra leaves, to serve 2 tbsp lemon juice

2 tbsp rinsed baby capers,

chopped

1 long red chilli, deseeded, finely

chopped

1 garlic clove, crushed

½ cup olive oil

Sea salt flakes, freshly ground

black pepper, to season

1 Using a sharp knife, thinly score pork rind at 5mm intervals. Put pork on a wire rack, skin-side up. Place rack over sink and pour boiling water over skin, then pat dry with a paper towel.

2 Preheat a covered barbecue to 160°C or an oven to 160°C. Put pork on wire rack into a heavy-based roasting pan. Rub salt into skin. Pour ½ cup of water into base of pan. Roast for 2 hours. Increase heat to 220°C (or the oven to 220°C). Roast for a further 30 minutes or until the skin is crispy and crackled. Remove from barbecue and set aside, loosely covered in foil. 3 To make the salsa verde, put all the ingredients in a bowl. Season.

4 Preheat grill side of barbecue. Toss asparagus, broccolini and onion in oil, then grill, turning, for 4-5 minutes or until charred all over and just tender. Grill tomatoes for 1 minute or until just blistered. Grill pitas for 30 seconds each side or until grill marks appear and the bread is warmed through.

5 Slice pork belly and top with the grilled vegetables, salsa verde and extra herbs. Serve with grilled pita and lemon cheeks on the side.