Pork belly with chorizo, shallot and bean stew

Method

1. Heat the oven to 140°C/120°C fan/ gas 1. Line a large roasting tin with a double layer of foil. Lay the sliced onions in the middle of the tin, then sit the pork on top, skin-side up. Generously rub all over with salt, getting it between the score marks.
2. Pour the stock and wine into the tin around the pork, then add the garlic cloves, thyme sprigs and a grind of black pepper. Cook in the oven for 41⁄2–5 hours, uncovered, until the meat is fall-apart tender.
3. Remove the pork from the oven, then turn up the heat to 240°C/ 220°C fan/gas 9 (or see Make Ahead). Drain and reserve the juices from the roasting tin, but spoon off almost all the fat from the surface (reserve 1 tbsp and cool and chill the rest for up to 3 days – it makes great roasties). Return the pork to the oven for 25-30 minutes until the skin is crisp and crackled.
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4. Meanwhile, heat the reserved 1 tbsp fat in a large, deep frying pan over a medium heat. Add the shallots and soften for 5 minutes over a low heat. Add the garlic and tomato purée and cook for 1-2 minutes, then add the chorizo and carrots. Fry for a further 5 minutes over a medium-high heat, then add the wine (reserving a splash to finish) and bubble for a further 2 minutes. Add 350ml of the reserved pork juices and simmer for 15-20 minutes until the carrots are nearly tender.
5. When the pork is ready, remove it from the oven and allow to rest for at least 20 minutes, uncovered. For the last 5 minutes of the resting time, stir the beans and spinach into the stew and gently simmer. You may need to add the spinach in batches.
6. Slice the pork into thick pieces. Stir the parsley and the remaining splash of wine into the stew, then serve straightaway.