Beautiful stuffed porchetta

Jamie Oliver: ‘When you have a lot of mouths to feed, this is the perfect recipe. Thanks to the crispy crackling and rich liver and fennel stuffing, it makes a sublime Sunday lunch, with all the trimmings, but you can also serve it at a party with soft rolls, coleslaw and a whole range of sauces and garnishes on the table.’

1. Place the meat skin-side up on a board and rub it with plenty of sea salt and black pepper. For the stuffing, peel the onions, slice them into thin rings and finely chop the sage leaves. Place a large pan over a medium-low heat with 1 tablespoon of oil and the butter, add the onion rings, sage, pine nuts, fennel seeds and a pinch of pepper and salt, and keep stirring regularly for 25 to 30 minutes, or until soft and lightly golden. Meanwhile, soak the raisins in a bowl of Vin Santo. Slice the bread, toast it until golden, cut the garlic clove in half and rub the cut side over the toast. Strip the rosemary and finely chop the needles with the toasted bread into fine crumbs. Cut the liver into rough pieces and stir them into the onion mixture in the pan. Turn the heat up to medium-high, stir in the raisins, Vin Santo and breadcrumbs, and grate in the lemon zest. Leave the mixture to cool in a bowl and preheat the oven to 220 ºC/gas mark 7.

2. Knead the cooled mixture together with clean hands and spread it over the meat. Place the oysters rounded-side down on a chopping board, find the hinge, insert an oyster knife between the shells and prise it open (sometimes it can be quite difficult and you may need to use considerable force – please be careful!). Press the oysters into the stuffing and drizzle over the liquid from the shells. Grate over the Parmesan and roll up the meat from one of the short sides, pressing in the stuffing as you go. Place the roll seam-side down on six pieces of string and tie it together. Season with pepper and salt, drizzle with oil and rub it over the entire surface – this will give you a wonderfully crisp coating. Place the meat in a large roasting tray and roast for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the skin is golden and wonderfully crisp. Meanwhile, halve the apples and carrots and quarter the peeled onions. Remove the meat from the oven, carefully tuck the halved apples and vegetables underneath it, reduce the temperature to 180 ºC/gas mark 4 and return it to the oven for another 4 to 5 hours, or until the meat is super tender. Baste the meat with the roasting juices a few times as it cooks.

3. Place the porchetta on a clean board and leave it to rest briefly while you make the gravy. Place the roasting tray over a medium heat on the hob, spoon most of the fat floating on the surface into a jar, leave it to cool and store it in the fridge. Stir the flour into the roasting juices and scrape the browned bits from the bottom. Pour in the stock, bring to the boil and continue stirring regularly for 5 minutes, or until the gravy has thickened. Pour the gravy through a sieve, pressing the solid ingredients through with the back of a spoon. Remove the strings from the roast, slice it and serve with the gravy and vegetables.

Title: Jamie’s Food Fight Club weekend cookbook
Author: Jamie Oliver
Publisher: Kosmos Uitgevers
Price: €20,-