Foodie Friday: Why wait until December to celebrate Christmas. Delve into this 4 ingredient Roast Pork with Crackling and enjoy some Sticky Date for dessert to reign in Christmas in July festivities.

Roast Pork with Crispy Crackling

 

Prep: 10 mins

Cook: 2 hrs

Serves: 4

 

Ingredients:

  • 2kg pork leg (bone-in)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 lemon juiced
  • 1 tablespoon sea salt

 

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 250°C. Using a sharp knife, gently score the skin of the leg across in close parallel lines. Make sure you cut all the way through the skin to the meat (keep in mind, the more scores you make the crispier the crackling).
  2. Rub the entire leg with oil and lemon juice and then with the sea salt. Rub well into the scores as this not only seasons the meat, but helps draw out moisture, producing ‘crispy crackling’.
  3. Place the roast in a large roasting pan. Cook uncovered for 30 minutes at the highest heat, then reduce the temperature to 180°C. Continue cooking for approximately 25 minutes per 500g of weight, or 1½ hours.
  4. Once the roast is done, remove from the oven and rest for 20 minutes before carving to serve.

Source: Huffingtonpost.com.au

 

Sticky Date Pudding with Caramel Sauce

Prep: 20 mins

Cook: 30 mins

Serves: 8

 

Ingredients:

 

Sticky Date Pudding:

  • 1 cup pitted dates, roughly chopped
  • 300ml orange juice or water
  • 1 teaspoon bi-carb soda
  • ¾ cup brown sugar
  • 80g unsalted butter
  • 2 eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1 ⅓ cup plain flour
  • 2 ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla essence

 

Caramel Sauce:

  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 125g unsalted butter
  • ½ cup cream

 

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease and line a 20cm x 20cm cake tin.
  2. Bring dates and orange juice to the boil in a small saucepan. Stir in bi-carb and remove from heat. Allow to cool.
  3. Beat sugar and butter until creamy and pale. Add eggs until well combined. Fold in flour, date mixture and vanilla essence.
  4. Pour mixture into greased and lined tin and bake for 30 minutes or until golden and cooked through.
  5. For the sauce: bring all ingredients to the boil in a saucepan. Simmer for 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat.
  6. Serve warm pieces of sticky date pudding with warm caramel sauce.