It was in the Dordogne where my love for apricots began. I doubt I had ever tried one before (back then, we barely even knew what rocket was), but as I helped my exchange family’s grandmother make kilos of jam from the ripe, golden fruits, their sticky, sweet flesh and almond-scented kernels bewitched me. Apricots can be underwhelming in the UK, all dry and flavourless, so seek out a discerning greengrocer to get hold of the real deal. As much as I love apricots in puddings, they also lend a deeply fruity tang to savoury chutneys and relishes.
Pork belly with scotch bonnet apricot relish
The scotch bonnet lends a floral note to this fiery relish, which cuts through the fatty, richly aromatic, Asian-spiced pork.
Prep 20 min
Cook 4 hr 30 min+
Serves 4-6, with leftovers
1.6kg boneless pork belly, skin scored
3 star anise
1 cinnamon stick (or 2 tsp ground cinnamon)
2 tbsp fennel seeds
Salt and pepper
1 large white onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 fennel bulb, trimmed and finely chopped
3 sticks celery, trimmed and finely chopped
1 handful thyme leaves, or other aromatic herbs (sage, rosemary)
240ml dry manzanilla, or full-bodied, dry white wine
For the apricot relish
1 medium red onion, peeled and diced
2½cm piece ginger, peeled and grated
1 tbsp coriander seeds
1 scotch bonnet chilli, cut in half, or 2-3 fresh red chillies
3 bay leaves
70g caster sugar
120ml cider vinegar
400g apricots
Take the pork out of the fridge an hour before you want to cook it, so it can come up to room temperature, then heat the oven to 240C (220C fan)/465F/gas 9.
Gently warm the whole spices in a dry frying pan on a medium heat for a few minutes, or until fragrant. Grind in a spice grinder or mortar, then add salt and pepper, and rub all over the pork belly. Roast for 25 minutes, then turn down the heat to 160C (140C fan)/315F/gas 2½. Lift the pork out of the pan, then tumble the onion, fennel, celery, thyme, sherry and 250ml water into the cooking juices in the tray. Put the pork on top, and cook for another four to six hours, until the crackling is light and crisp and the flesh soft and succulent.
Meanwhile, make the relish. Put the onion, ginger, coriander seeds, chilli and bay leaves in a stainless-steel saucepan, add the sugar, vinegar and 50ml water, then bring to a simmer. Cook gently for 10-12 minutes, until the onion is soft. While that’s cooking, halve and stone the apricots, then cut the flesh into chunks. Add these to the onion pan and cook for another 10 minutes, until the apricots are soft but still hold their shape.
When the pork is tender to the point of a knife, cut off the crackling, then carve the meat. Arrange on a platter, dole out the apricot relish and crackling alongside, and serve, perhaps with a herb-flecked rice salad and a fresh, summery slaw.
