Autumn Roast ....... {Pork Belly, Baked Beetroot, Pumpkin Gratin, Candid Apples}

Autumn walks are my favourite walks and walks that end at the Farmers Market make me even happier . Seeing all the autumn produce makes me happy - the pumpkins all different shapes and sizes, kentish cobnuts ready to roast, beetroots all ugly on the outside but different vivid colours on the inside. Taking home our wares and producing a wonderful Autumn Roast. Each component is simple, you let the fresh flavours of the meat and vegetables speak for themselves.

Pork Belly, Baked Beetroot, Pumpkin Gratin, Candid Apples

I'll just talk you through what I did..... In my spice blender I whizzed up some bay leaves, pepper corns, 4 cloves of garlic and a drizzle of olive oil. After patting the belly pork down I rubbed all of this concoction into the skin (Make sure the skin is scored in to diamonds). salt liberally. place in oven directly on to the wire rack with a tray of water below - this will steam the bottom. Cook on high heat for 45 mins and then turn down for a further hour or so until the met is cooked how you like it. 

For the candid apples I placed butter and sugar in a pan with a bit of stock and brandy, let that reduce and added in the apples, letting them get lovely and candid and then setting aside to cool. 

Taking the beetroot I peeled them, cut them in to quarters and  roasted them with balsamic vinegar and olive oil, they took over an hour to cook through

I used half a small pumpkin, peeled and sliced, seasoned and layered in to a pan buttered pan. covered it with cream that had warmed with a clove of garlic and a grating of nutmeg. I then baked it for about 45 mins. 

The cabbage was savoy that I cooked with pancetta and a splash of wine and a good grind of black pepper

A good roast can take time but its well worth it every now and again for the end result