Italian-styled pork belly roasted with verjuice and pears

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Serves: 6

Ingredients:

• 1.5 kg deboned pork belly
• 6 ripe pears, halved lengthways
• 1 kg Woolworths specialty onions, halved
• 4 bay leaves
• 1½ cups verjuice
• 2 cups chicken stock
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• Mashed potato, for serving

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Place the pork belly in a large roasting pan, skin side up.
2. Score the skin and place the pears, onions and bay leaves around the pork. 
3. Combine the verjuice and chicken stock and pour into the roasting dish until it comes halfway up the side of the pork, but doesn't cover the skin. Season to taste.
4. Roast for 1 - 1½ hours, or until the meat is tender and the skin is crisp. The pears and onions should be golden and caramelized.
5. Serve immediately with mashed potato.

Credit: Taste magazine