Spiced apples with leftover roast pork and crisp fennel
A fantastic idea for using up leftover roast pork. Serve with spiced apples and crispy battered fennel for a medley of autumn flavours.
Ingredients
- 2 apples, quartered and core removed
- 150²µ/5½´Ç³ú honey
- 1 lemon, zest and juice
- 2 star anise
- 2cm piece ginger, peeled and sliced, or large pinch ground ginger
- 1 garlic clove, peeled and smashed
- 1 tsp black peppercorns
- 1 tbsp coriander seeds, crushed
- 3 sprigs fresh tarragon
- 1 green chilli, sliced
- 250g/9oz cold, leftover roast pork with all the cooking juices.
- pinch sea salt
- drizzle olive oil
- 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
For the crisp fennel
- 1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced, fronds reserved
- 200ml/7fl oz buttermilk
- 50²µ/1¾´Ç³ú plain flour
- 50²µ/1¾´Ç³ú cornflour
- 50²µ/1¾´Ç³ú polenta
Method
Warm the honey with 300ml/½ pt water, the lemon, star anise, ginger, garlic, peppercorns, coriander seeds, 1 sprig of tarragon and the chilli over a low heat.
Then add the apples to the pan, cover with parchment paper and cook for 5–8minutes, or until soft and sticky but still holding their shape. Set aside to serve warm or at room temperature.
To make the crisp fennel, whisk together the buttermilk, flour, cornflour and polenta.
Fill a deep-fat fryer or add 2cm/1in oil to a large, deep, heavy-bottomed pan. Heat to 180C – a cube of bread should turn brown in 1 minute when dropped in. (CAUTION: Hot oil can be dangerous. Do not leave it unattended.)
Dip in the fennel slices in the batter and tap off the excess. Carefully drop into the oil and fry for 2–3 minutes, or until golden and crispy.
Heat the pork cooking juices and bring to a boil. Add 4 tablespoons of the apple juices, then taste and season with the salt and olive oil. Strain and finish with the red wine vinegar.
Thinly slice the cold leftover pork, along with the crackling, if you have some, onto a serving plate. Add the apples, spoon over some of the cooking juices, add the crisp fennel and garnish with the remaining tarragon sprigs and fennel fronds.
