Roast loin of pork with raisin and walnut seasoning

Ingredients (serves 8)

• 2.5kg boned loin of pork, rind scored
• 1 tbs olive oil
• 1 tsp salt
• 8 small red apples
• 2 1/2 tbs plain flour
• 2 cups (500ml) beef stock
• 100g cabernet or quince paste

• Raisin and walnut seasoning

• 1/3 cup (65g) raisins
• 1/2 cup (125ml) dry red wine
• 30g butter
• 1 tbs olive oil
• 2 medium leeks, pale section only, sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 50g pancetta, chopped
• 1/4 cup chopped sage
• 1/3 cup (45g) chopped walnuts
• 2 tsp finely grated lemon rind
• 2 1/2 cups (175g) fresh breadcrumbs (made with day-old bread)
• 1 egg, lightly whisked

Method

1. To make the raisin and walnut seasoning, place the raisins in a small bowl and pour over wine. Set aside for 4 hours or overnight to soak. Drain well, reserving the wine and setting aside for the gravy.
2. Heat the butter and oil in a medium frying pan over medium heat. Add the leek and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes or until soft. Add garlic and pancetta and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes or until pancetta browns. Transfer to a medium bowl, add the raisins, sage, walnuts, lemon rind, breadcrumbs and egg, and stir to combine. Set aside to cool.
3. Preheat oven to 220°C. Place the pork, skin-side down, on a clean work surface and use a sharp knife to cut a vertical slit through the thickest part without cutting all the way through. Open out pork to form one large piece. Place stuffing down the centre of the pork. Starting at the thick end, roll up pork firmly to enclose filling. Secure with kitchen string at 2cm intervals. Place pork in a roasting pan. Rub pork skin with oil and salt. Roast, uncovered, for 25 minutes or until rind begins to crackle. Reduce oven temperature to 180°C and roast for a further 1 hour.
4. Use a small, sharp knife to pierce the bottom of each apple a few times. Arrange apples around the pork. Roast for a further 30-35 minutes or until apples and pork are cooked through.
5. Transfer to a tray and cover with foil to keep warm while making gravy. Discard all but 2 tbs of fat from the roasting pan and place over medium heat. Add flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute or until mixture begins to bubble. Gradually add reserved wine and stock and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes or until gravy boils and thickens. Add cabernet or quince paste and stir until it melts. Strain into a jug. Serve slices of pork with roast apples, celeriac puree and watercress salad .