Roast Porchetta with Orange and Fennel

Defrost the porchetta over 2 days in the fridge.

Score the skin of the porchetta with a sharp knife. Pour ladles of boiling water over the skin to open the pores. Dry the pork very well, then rub the salt into the skin, ensuring you get some into the cuts. Put on a rack over a tray and refrigerate, uncovered, overnight (this is to ensure the skin dries out enough for crispy crackling).

Bring the porchetta out of the fridge at least an hour before you plan on cooking. Pat it dry, then lightly oil the skin and season again with salt.

Preheat the oven to 220°C.

Place the porchetta on a rack that fits over a roasting dish. Roast for 30 minutes. While the porchetta roasts, cut the onions and fennel into wedges, reserving any fennel fronds. Slice the orange.

After the porchetta has roasted for 30 minutes, remove it from the oven. Place the onion, fennel, orange, white wine, and stock or water into the roasting dish and season with salt and pepper. Put the rack of porchetta on back on top of the dish.

Lower the oven temperature to 160°C. Cook the porchetta for a further 1½ hours, adding a little water to the vegetables if they are drying out. If you have a thermometer, the internal temperature of the roast should be 71°C.

If the skin has failed to crackle as much as you’d like, put the porchetta (but not the vegetables) under a grill and turn, as required, until it has crackled. Watch it carefully as it can burn easily.

Rest the porchetta for 20 minutes before slicing. Serve on the bed of vegetables, scattering over the reserved fennel fronds for garnish.