Ingredients

Method

• 2 litres water
• 60 g salt
• 1 kg pork belly
• 100 g sultanas
• ½ cup sherry vinegar
For the caponata:
• 4 T olive oil
• 2 brinjals, chopped into 3 cm cubes
• 2 red onions, peeled and cubed
• 12 capers
• 70 g olives, chopped
• 2 sticks celery, chopped
• celery leaves from 1 bunch celery, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 T lemon juice
• 30 g Italian parsley, chopped
• 2 T pine nuts, toasted
• salt, to taste

Method

Ingredients

1. Place the water and salt in a bowl. Stir until the salt has dissolved. Add the pork and brine for 2 hours.

2. Soak the sultanas in the sherry vinegar and set aside. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Pat dry the pork, place on a baking rack on a baking tray and roast for 1½ hours. Turn on the grill and grill until the rind is golden brown and crispy – watch it carefully.

3. To make the caponata, heat 2 T olive oil in a pan. Fry the brinjals in batches, adding more oil if necessary, until golden brown, then set aside. Fry the onions until golden brown and set aside. Mix with the remaining ingredients.

4. Cut the pork into pieces and serve with the caponata.

Cook's note: Want great crackling? Brine the pork before cooking and make sure you pat it dry well. You could even leave it in the fridge for a few hours, then pat dry again to guarantee perfectly crisp, even crackling.

Photographs: Andrea Van Der Spuy
Food assistants: Bianca Strydom and Irinja Bekker