Herby porchetta & sweet & sour shallots

Ingredients

• 3.5 kg porchetta joint, skin scored by butcher
• For the stuffing
• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• ½ tsp black peppercorns
• 1 tsp sea salt, plus extra 1 tsp for rubbing
• 1 sprig rosemary, leaves stripped and finely chopped
• 10g parsley, leaves finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, grated
• 1 lemon, zested
• For the shallots
• 50ml olive oil
• 10 banana shallots, thinly sliced through the root
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 3 tbsp red wine vinegar

Method

1.  Unroll the porchetta joint onto a large board. In a pestle and mortar, crush the fennel seeds, peppercorns and salt together until fine. Add the chopped herbs and garlic, and crush again. Press the mixture into the porchetta joint and sprinkle over the lemon zest. Tightly roll the joint back up, securing with kitchen twine at 1-inch intervals. Place on a baking tray and leave in the fridge for up to 12 hrs. Remove at least one hour ahead of cooking time so the joint reaches room temperature.

2.  Once marinated, pat the skin dry with kitchen towel and rub with sea salt. Turn on the NEFF oven’s CircoRoast function at 160°C, adding low level steam. Place the joint on the rack above the Universal Tray and roast for 4 hrs. Once cooked, remove the joint and rest for at least 30 mins before carving.

3.  Meanwhile, make a start on the sweet and sour shallots. Heat the oil in a large sauté pan, before adding the shallots, bay leaves and a generous pinch of salt. Once the shallots are translucent, stir in the garlic and fry for 2 mins. Add the sugar, vinegar and just enough water to cover the onions. Reduce the heat to low and leave until the liquid has evaporated. After 20 mins, the onions should be soft and sticky. Serve over the porchetta and enjoy.