Pork roast with prunes and walnuts

This delicious and easy to prepare roast can be enjoyed warm, while leftovers make a great cold cut to be served for supper or in a lunchbox.

Pork is known to go well with sweet condiments such as apples, plums or cabbage, and the prune and walnut combination does not disappoint.

Indeed, the stuffing, marjoram crackling and roasted onion gravy bring a festive feel to the dish (many cultures drink a dried fruit compote or spiced wine at Christmas and this dish has definitely got those flavour notes through it).

Both rolled pork leg and loin can be used for this dish, and cooking method  varies only based on the size of your uncooked piece of meat – see notes below.

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Pork roast with prunes and walnuts

Generally, when cooking boneless pork roast you should cook the meat for 25 minutes at 220C, then at 180C for 20-30 minutes per each 0.5kg of meat. Skin off and lean cuts will be closer to the 20-minute mark, while the skin-on fattier pieces are closer to 30 minutes per 0.5kg. Cold cut note: If you haven't already, remove the crackling and fatty layer underneath. Slice thinly and serve as part of your cold meat platter with remaining pan juice 'jam'. Store whole piece in the fridge wrapped in aluminium foil then serve as needed.

Prep Time20 minutes mins

Cook Time1 hour hr 45 minutes mins

Total Time2 hours hrs 5 minutes mins

Servings: 8 people

Ingredients

• 1.5 kg rolled pork leg roast
• 250 g pitted prunes
• 50 g walnuts
• 1 onion halved and chopped
• 4 tbsp marjoram
• 4 tbsp Olive oil
• 2 tbsp Sea salt
• 1 tbsp Pepper
• 30 ml brandy optional

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 220C (425F, gas mark 7).
• Place prunes, walnuts (and brandin a bowl and mix, checking there are no pits.
• Using a sharp knife make a long slit pocket running inside the middle of the meat. Stuff the prune mixture in, ensuring it is well packed in. Some of this mixture will flow out during cooking and this will enrich the onion gravy.
• Mix 2 tbsps oil, marjoram, salt and pepper in a bowl. Rub mixture all over the meat. Heat a little oil in a frypan and brown the meat high heat on all sides to seal – however, if you’re using a skin on cut, do not brown the skin!
• Place onion and any remaining oil in a small roasting tin. Pop the meat on top and roast on the top rack at 220C for 30 minutes to get the crackling going, then move to middle shelf and roast for a further 75 minutes at 180C (for loin only, baste occasionally with pan juices). Turn oven off and allow the meat to rest for another 15 minutes.
• Serve warm with rice or bread and lashings of gravy. Make sure to use all the crackling during the first serving as that’s when it is at its best. For salads, try the red cabbage and mint slaw.

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