Frugal recipes

Check out this amazing recipe for twice cooked pork belly (with gravy) roast parsnips and sweet apple red cabbage - for £1.35 per person!

Recipe #21: Twice cooked pork belly (with gravy) roast parsnips and sweet apple red cabbage (serves 5)

In our brand new Frugal Recipe series, we'll be looking at cheaper cuts of meat and cheaper, more sustainable fish and how to make them into some fantastic meals over the next couple of months.

I'll be showing you some recipes that are great alternatives to (and in my opinion equally delicious as) the more expensive pork chops, chicken breasts and unsustainable cod options.

You've heard this one before I can hear you groan! Yes, pork belly has been done to death. But in my opinion it's a fantastic, if not better, alternative to the usual Sunday roast and at £3.99 per kg it can't be ignored - it's the perfect comfort food to comfort us during recession. The twice cooking method does take some time (overnight) and it will need attention but the results are truly amazing.

Ingredients

1.2kg of Tesco belly pork (£4.79 - £3.99 per kg)
1 large red onion (21p)
2 Cox apples (48p)
1 medium red cabbage (50p)
700g of parsnips (79p)

The cupboard staples...

Salt, black pepper, olive oil, brown sugar, peppercorns, butter, flour and bay leaves.

Total cost

If you already have the cupboard staples, then according to mysupermarket.co.uk, this trolley was cheapest at Tesco, where it came to £6.75 - that's £1.35 per head!

Instructions

You will need a pan large enough to take the belly pork in one single layer and so the water covers the pork. Fill the pan with cold water, a few peppercorns and three bay leaves - you will need to weight the pork down so it stays submerged. Bring up to the simmer and remove the impurities that rise to the top, simmer for around 2 hours (remembering to keep topping up the water!). When the pork is ready it will take a knife through the thickest part with very little resistance. Do not throw away the liquid as we'll use the lovely stock created to make gravy.
Once the pork is cooked remove from the pan and let it cool right down. Once cooled wrap in cling film and place a dish and a good weight on top of the pork and place in the fridge overnight. I find a good heavy stone mortar works perfectly; if you don't have one then six cans of beans will work just fine!
When you're ready to start cooking the next day get the pork out of the fridge 30 minutes before you want to cook it so it gets up to room temperature.
For the gravy take the stock you saved from yesterday and remove any fat that has formed. Place in a saucepan and bring up to the boil. Once up to the boil season and bring down to a simmer. There are many ways to thicken sauces and I prefer a method called beurre manie for this gravy - to make it incorporate one tablespoon of butter and one tablespoon of flour in a bowl to make a smooth paste. Now add to the stock whisking all the time and it will thicken the stock nicely (make sure you simmer for another 5 to 10 minutes to cook the flour out a little). Add a drop of red wine if you have that as well.
For the accompanying roast parsnip dish, you will need to par boil the parsnips and then roast for 25 minutes at 220C. The parsnips will need seasoning and a good glug of olive oil before roasting. The parsnips can go in the oven at the same time as the pork belly (see below).
For the sweet apple red cabbage dish, peel and core the apples and finely slice. Also finely slice the red onion and half of the red cabbage. Now get a saucepan on a medium heat with some olive oil and add the apples and onions - sauté for 3 minutes before adding the finely sliced red cabbage. Season and add a good pinch of brown sugar and cook for a further 5 minutes until the cabbage softens a little.
The pork belly just needs seasoning with salt and black pepper, then place on a wire rack and cook at 220C for 25 minutes. I find it easier to cut the pork belly into portions before placing in the oven. Once out the oven you will have a lovely crisp crackling and the meat will be very tender inside.
Serve with the gravy and accompanying dishes - happy eating!

A bit about our Chef, Paul Warburton

Paul Warburton, a lovemoney.com staff member, had a hectic career in the world of hot kitchens and screaming chefs before joining the lovemoney.com products development team.

During these years, under the tutorage of some great chefs, he honed his skills in cooking for numbers within a tight cost and portion-controlled environment.

Now he's planning to regularly offer his help to all budding chefs in the lovemoney.com community, so you can enjoy his original, low-cost recipes with your family and friends every Friday for free!

What lovemoney.com readers have said about Paul's other recipes

"We enjoyed this recipe very much: easy to make and even easier to eat!" varneyrob

"I made this recipe and it was absolutely delicious! Seriously good! Five of us feasted on it, and feasted well..." Ibeshy

"I made this recipe on Saturday night, and my 13 year-old son promptly requested it again for the following night!" Malcolm Wheatley

"This is a cracking risotto recipe. Just had it for lunch & it's a winner. More recipes please. Thanks." SavvyLass

"Another delicious offering from Paul. Thank you - keep 'em coming!" Palefire

Please add your own comments using the comments box below!

If you like this recipe, why not also try Paul's other Frugal Recipes: Spiced whole mackerel with chickpea salad | Pumpkin and sage risotto | Slow braised oxtail with autumn mash | Rolled breast of lamb with garlic mash and Savoy cabbage | Lemon & rosemary chicken thighs | Thai Pollock curry with egg noodles | Chunky pea and ham soup| Spaghetti alla carbonara | Pork stroganoff | Green chilli meat balls, sunflower seed couscous salad and mint yoghurt | Tagliatelle with air dried cured ham and minted peas | Beef, thyme and mushroom loaf with potato dauphinoise | Mixed bean and coriander green curry with fragrant rice | Egg Florentine with smoked cheddar and rocket salad | Beef, mushroom and thyme pie | Spicy tuna, bean and coriander lasagne | Beef koftas with a feta, spinach and fresh mint salad | Chorizo and pea risotto | Sausage and rosemary hotpot | Beef & thyme (Lacashire) hotpot