Roast Shoulder of Pork with Orange and Honey

We all love a roast, I particularly love a roast pork and I don't think it is very hard to mess up the cooking of it. Not complete with out the crackling of course. Pork is no longer the NO NO of meat.
It is the other white meat and is leaner than ever before. Pork has less calories than beef but not as much protein. The fat on pork tends to be on the outside, so you can remove it. Although, the shoulder is not the leanest cut, it is needed for this long cook as still remains succulent.
This recipe was inspired from an Ottolenghi meal.
This is a lovely combination of flavours and very easy. The herbs give it a great flavour and the sauce is sweet and goes beautifully with the meat. In fact the sauce has become a bit of a favourite in our home.



2 kilo shoulder of pork
7 stalks fresh rosemary
8 cloves garlic
2 cm piece ginger
2 teaspoons of black peppercorns
2 teaspoons sea salt
Rylstone Olive oil
5 oranges
250 ml white wine
500 ml orange juice
3 tablespoons honey
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar


Put the rosemary, garlic, ginger, peppercorns, sea salt and olive oil in a food processor and
process until well chopped

Open the pork out and smother the meat with the herb mixture.
Tie the pork up with kitchen twine in about four places.
Pat the skin dry and salt well.
Preheat oven to 250C.

Cut the oranges in half and place them on the bottom of a baking dish. Place the pork on top and put into the oven for an hour until the skin is nicely crackled. Don't worry at this stage if it needs a little more. Lower the temperature to 180 and pour the wine into the bottom of the baking dish, but not over the crackling. Cook a further hour, if you feel the top is getting burnt cover with foil, but it shouldn't unless your oven is really hot.
Lower the temperature again to 160C and cook a further 1/2 hour.
Meanwhile place the juice, honey and balsamic vinegar in a saucepan and heat until reduced by half.
Serve the pork with a orange half, they are cooked but still juicy. Pour the orange and honey sauce over the sliced meat.
Serve this dish with traditional vegetables if liked. I served it with eggplant and feta and minted peas.

Orange Jaipur Tea Pannacotta with Caramelised Fruit

Okay I admit I might have gone a little crazy about these pannacottas! Whilst shopping the other day I found this new tea by Lipton and thought how lovely it would be in a pannacotta. I was right, absolutely beautiful subtle , sublime flavour and light. I love a light desert, I am sure I have said this before. I think these types of desserts are a perfect end to a meal, sweet touch and not too heavy.
Lipton have put out this delightful range of teas. Summer fruits, with rose hip, hibiscus and sweet blackberry. Forest fruit, peach and mango, passion and raspberry and the one I used Orange Jaipur from the discovery collection.
Experiment with any of these, it is the easiest dessert to make and always goes down a treat.
I used pineapple and banana for my caramelised fruit.
Please don't use gelatine powder, leaves are now readily available.


400 mls cream
150 mls full cream milk
3 gelatine leaves McKenzie's from the supermarket or good delis have other brands
1/2 cup sugar
3  orange Jaipur tea bags
1 tablespoon fine orange zest
3 pieces of palm sugar grated
1 tablespoon butter
chopped pineapple and banana

Heat the cream and milk with the sugar on the stove top. When the sugar is dissolved add the tea bags and bring to the boil and turn down. The tea will infuse in the cream mixture and if you push gently on the bags the flavour and colour will release, leave to steep for as long as you feel necessary.  Add the orange zest. Meanwhile place the gelatine leaves in cold water and for 5-7 minutes approximately and then remove and discard the water, squeezing gently in your hands to remove excess liquid. Put the gelatine into the hot cream tea mixture and whisk to dissolve.
Grease small ramekins and fill evenly.
Ramekins of about 150 ml capacity are a great size. Place into refrigerator for 4 hours to set.
Melt the butter in a fry pan on the stove and add the grated palm sugar and dissolve and let brown a little. Add the banana  pieces first and cook gently till they change colour around the edges. Remove and set aside, add the pineapple. It will release some juice as it heats and is a little harder to caramelise but is still beautiful. Remove and gently toss with the banana. Some passionfruit would be lovely added at this point.
When ready run a sharp knife around the edge of each ramekin and place a plate over the top and invert giving it a firm shake. It should release quite well. Serve with the caramelised fruit.