Oh DUDES – I’ve had one magnificent day in the kitchen. It’s been me and Nigella all the way baby. I must go to bed as have been in the since about 10 this morning doing bits and pieces (it wasn’t just cooking) and as it’s now 10 at night I gotta rest these legs. But here’s what will be coming over the next few days:

Rolled loin of pork “cinghiale”
“Heaven and earth” mash
Gingerbread
Gingerbread stuffing
Custard

Oy. So good, all so very very good.

Rolled loin of pork “cinghiale”

• 1tbsp pink peppercorns
• 1tbsp juniper berries
• 1tbsp allspice berries
• 1 clove
• 4 cloves garlic, bruised
• 1tbsp molasses
• 125ml extra virgin olive oil
• 2tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 2tbsp dark brown sugar
• 80ml Marsala
• 500ml red wine
• 2.25kg tied pork loin, weighed without bones and rind

1. Crush the peppercorns, juniper and allspice berries with the clove in a mortar and pestle
2. In a large snaplock bag combine with all the other marinade ingredients
3. Add the meat and marinade ideally for a couple of days or at least overnight
4. Let the meat and bones come to room temperature
5. Preheat oven to 200C
6. Line a roasting tin with foil as the sugar in the marinade will make the pan burn
7. Lay the bones in the bottom of the pan and place the meat on top of them
8. Pour in about 500ml of the marinade, reserving the rest for making the gravy
9. Be prepared for the meat to shrink enormously
10. Roast meat for 13/4 to 2 hours, basting every now and then
11. After the pork has been in for an hour, put the rind on a rack in a shallow roasting pan on the shelf under the pork
12. When the meat is done, take it out and cover tightly with foil to keep warm and to rest
13. Turn the oven up to as high as it will go and let the crackling get cracking
14. For the gravy, pour any juices remaining in the pan into a small saucepan along with the rest of the marinade and a cup of water of water and taste to check it is how you want it.

Notes: – I used a boned shoulder of pork from Southern Highland Pork – the flavour was sublime
- I didn’t have and couldn’t find anywhere on the Northern Beaches in the timeframe we had pink peppercorns, so these were very regrettably omitted
- I used treacle instead of molasses
- I used dry sweet sherry instead of Marsala
- I cooked it in a low oven for four hours
- I didn’t add any water when I made the gravy and I drained some of the oil off the pan juices

Now, it’s probably best for the vegetarians to look away. I am not a big meat eater. But I adore the butcher’s and see such beauty in all those cuts of meat. To me, while my photography doesn’t do it justice, this is pure art: