Kentucky Pork & Georgia Salsa

The boy has the Sunday papers spread all over the living room, and is cutting out reviews of books he wants to read. He has Handel’s Jephtha on quite loud. Hope the guys in the upstairs flat like Handel, though it is rather good. He has a while to wait for lunch so I’ve made him breakfast and he’s enjoying a strong Bloody Mary with his paper blizzard.

1.5kg belly pork, bones in, skin scored

200ml Jack Daniels

250ml chicken or pork stock

1tsp thyme (fresh or dried)

 Peach Salsa

4 ripe peaches

1 red chilli

6 tomatoes

Juice of 2 limes

Olive oil

Handful coriander leaves

Get the oven to 220/Gas7 and the Radio to Radio 4. Place the pork in a deep roasting tin and massage the thyme, salt and pepper into it. Try to get it into the score lines if you can.

Roast for 30 minutes, then remove and turn the heat down to 160/Gas 3. Pour 150ml water and the Jack Daniels into the bottom of the tin, and put it back into the oven.  You have an hour and 40 minutes to spend with the boy.  He fancies a board game.

Remove the pork from the roasting tin, and wrap it in foil to rest. Put the roasting tin on the hob, and bring the juices to the boil, pouring in the stock. Scrape the bits from the bottom of the tin and let it reduce to a gravy thickness. Taste and season with salt and pepper. It may need another drop of JD. When it’s ready pour into a jug for serving . Pour in any extra juices from the resting pork parcel.

The boy is bored and wants to eat now. He’s going to make the salsa – partly to distract him and partly so it’s ready sooner.

Get him to halve and stone the peaches, and then dice them. With luck you’ll end up with a mix of ripe and slightly firm.  Place in a bowl, and add the seeded, very finely chopped chilli. Check he’s done it finely enough. You want flecks, not slices. Chop the tomatoes and them along with the lime juice, salt and pepper and a slug of olive oil. Get him to mix well and taste. Scatter roughly chopped coriander on top and get him to give it one last turn.

The pork is ready to pull apart, with crunchy crackling. It’s meant to be a meal to pick at, but knowing the boy I have some lovely soft sourdough bread for him to make sandwiches as he goes.