• Italian

Porchetta Christmas Lunch

If you haven’t started planning your Christmas party menu yet… let this recipe be your sign to get cracking.

Published
Servings
Serves 4
Prep Time
30m
Cooking Time
30m

Ingredients

Everything for 4 servings

Porchetta

  • 1 tbsp fennel seeds
  • 1 tbsp dried rosemary
  • 1 tbsp dried thyme
  • 1/2 tbsp black peppercorns
  • 1/2 tbsp chilli flakes
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • 2 tbsp salt
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1-1.2kg pork belly roast

For the brown butter honey carrots:

  • 6 carrots, sliced lengthwise into eighths
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 2 tbsp honey
  • Salt and pepper
  • Dill or parsley, chopped

For the salt baked beet salad:

  • 4 beets
  • 1.5 cups flour
  • 1/3 cup salt
  • 3 handfuls rocket or mixed leaves
  • 1 blood orange
  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • Pepper

Method

Porchetta

1

In a mortar and pestle, crush fennel seeds, rosemary, thyme, peppercorns, chilli flakes, garlic, salt and olive oil until it's a coarse mix.

2

Dry the skin side of the pork with a paper towel. Flip the pork so the flesh side is facing up. Spread the rub evenly over the meat.

3

Roll the pork belly tightly into a log, skin side out. Tie at 5cm intervals with kitchen twine. Place on a wire rack set over a baking tray and let sit, uncovered in the fridge for a minimum of 6 hours and up to 24.

4

Remove from fridge an hour before roasting to come to room temperature.

5

Roast pork at 220 degrees for 30 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 150°C and cook for 3 hours.

6

Rest for 45 minutes before slicing.

Salt baked beet salad

7

Mix flour and salt with enough cold water to form a firm dough.

8

Wrap each beet in a layer of the dough and place on a tray. Bake for 2 hours at 150 degrees.

9

Once cool enough to handle, crack off the crust, peel the beets and slice into wedges.

10

Arrange the rocket or mixed leaves on a platter. Top with the beet wedges.

11

Peel and segment the blood orange and scatter over the salad.

12

Whisk the olive oil and balsamic vinegar with a pinch of salt and pepper. Drizzle over the top before serving.

Brown butter honey carrots

13

Sear carrots with olive oil on all sides in a large oven-safe pan. Season with a generous pinch of salt.

14

Put pan into oven under porchetta (150 degrees) and roast for 25 minutes.

15

Remove carrots from oven. Melt butter in a pan over medium heat. Cook until the milk solids turn golden and the butter smells nutty, then add honey.

16

Add the carrots and toss to coat. Taste for seasoning.

17

Finish with lots of pepper and chopped dill or parsley.