Chinese pork, drunken potatoes and nashi pear sauce

Chinese pork, drunken potatoes and nashi pear sauce

“Chinese roast pork is a classic, but pairing it with ‘drunken’ potatoes (braised in shaoxing wine) gives the dish a Sunday roast vibe,” says chef Yvonne Poon. “The nashi pear sauce works like a British apple sauce, bringing sweetness and acidity to balance the rich tender meat.”

Chinese pork, drunken potatoes and nashi pear sauce

Got some shaoxing wine left over? Try it in Yvonne’s easy and delicious three cup chicken recipe.

  • Serves icon Serves 4-6
  • Time icon Hands-on time 30 min, plus overnight marinating. Simmering time 25 min. Oven time 1 hour 30 min

“Chinese roast pork is a classic, but pairing it with ‘drunken’ potatoes (braised in shaoxing wine) gives the dish a Sunday roast vibe,” says chef Yvonne Poon. “The nashi pear sauce works like a British apple sauce, bringing sweetness and acidity to balance the rich tender meat.”

Got some shaoxing wine left over? Try it in Yvonne’s easy and delicious three cup chicken recipe.

Nutrition: Per serving (for 6)

Calories
753kcals
Fat
45g (15g saturated)
Protein
42g
Carbohydrates
40g (16g sugars)
Fibre
4.5g
Salt
2.8g

Ingredients

  • 1.2kg boneless pork belly
  • ¼ tsp ground white pepper
  •  ½ tsp chinese five-spice powder
  • ½ tsp garlic powder
  • ¼ tsp caster sugar
  • 2 tbsp shaoxing wine
  • 1 tbsp sea salt flakes

For the potatoes

  • 800g floury potatoes (such as maris piper or king edward)
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 large garlic clove, crushed
  • 120ml shaoxing wine

For the sauce (optional)

  • 2 nashi pears (see Know-how)
  • 25g ginger, peeled and coarsely grated
  • 2 tbsp palm sugar (see Easy Swaps)
  • 2 tbsp cider vinegar
  • 1 star anise
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Method

  1. Pat the pork dry all over with kitchen paper, then put in a roasting dish skin side down and rub the flesh with the pepper, five-spice, garlic powder, sugar and a pinch of salt. Flip it so it’s skin-side up, wipe the skin dry again, then use a skewer or toothpick to poke little holes all over the top of it, trying not to pierce all the way through to the flesh (this helps the skin render its fat and turn extra crisp). The more holes you poke, the crisper it’ll be! Pour the 2 tbsp of shaoxing wine into the tray, being careful not to splash any on the skin, then rub the skin with the salt flakes. Put the tray in the fridge, uncovered, overnight.
  2. The next day, pat the skin dry again with kitchen paper – the salt should have drawn out some moisture; it’s important to remove this. Leave the
    pork out to come to room temperature while you heat the oven to 220°C fan/gas 9.
  3. Roast the pork in the oven for 30 minutes, then turn the heat down to 160°C fan/gas 4. Turn the tray 180 degrees to ensure the pork cooks evenly, then cook for an hour longer.
  4. Meanwhile, peel the potatoes and cut into 5mm slices, then put them in another roasting tin and toss with the oil, salt and garlic before pouring over the 120ml shaoxing wine. Arrange the top slices of potato in a neat flat layer, then put the roasting tin in the oven when the pork has 45 minutes left.
  5. To make the nashi pear sauce, peel and core the pears, then cut into cubes (about 2cm). Put them in a medium saucepan with  the rest of the sauce ingredients and a pinch of salt. Bring to the boil, lower the heat and simmer very gently for 25 minutes. Discard the star anise, then use a stick blender to whizz it all together – you still want some texture, so stop when roughly half the pears are puréed.
  6. Take the pork and potatoes out of the oven and heat the grill to medium-high. Put the pork under the grill (on a not-too-high shelf) and cook until the skin puffs up – keep an eye on it as it’ll start to burn soon after this happens. Leave the pork and potatoes to rest for 15 minutes before slicing the pork and serving with the pear sauce.

Nutrition

Nutrition: per serving
Calories
753kcals
Fat
45g (15g saturated)
Protein
42g
Carbohydrates
40g (16g sugars)
Fibre
4.5g
Salt
2.8g

delicious. tips

  1. Easy swaps If you can’t find palm sugar, use coconut sugar or soft brown sugar (use less as it’s sweeter).

  2. The nashi pear looks like an apple and has similar crispness and juiciness but the flavour of a pear. Look for them – often individually wrapped – in good greengrocers.

Buy ingredients online

Recipe By:

Yvonne Poon

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