Name: Roast suckling pig with walnut and apple stuffing
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 105 min
Total time: 135 min
Yield: 20
Ingredients: 1 7.5kg suckling pig, halved widthways (see note); 2 tbsp sea salt; 125 ml extra-virgin olive oil (½ cup); 3 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced; 1 bunch rosemary; 1 apple; 1 bunch watercress, leaves picked, to serve; Walnut and apple stuffing; 150 gm butter; 2 onions, thinly sliced; 3 leeks, white part only, thinly sliced; 2 apples, peeled, deseeded, halved and cut into small segments (350 gm); 100 gm shelled walnuts, roughly chopped; 2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves; 2 fresh bay leaves; 100 gm pancetta, finely diced; 140 gm coarse fresh breadcrumbs (2 cups); 1 orange, finely grated rind and juice only; 1 lemon, finely grated rind and juice only; 2 eggs, lightly beaten

Roast suckling pig with walnut and apple stuffing

Australian Gourmet Traveller main course recipe for roast suckling pig with walnut and apple stuffing

Serves 20

Prep

30M

Cook

1H 45M

Total

2H 15M

Ingredients

1 7.5kg suckling pig, halved widthways (see note)

2 tbsp sea salt

125 ml extra-virgin olive oil (½ cup)

3 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced

1 bunch rosemary

1 apple

1 bunch watercress, leaves picked, to serve

Walnut and apple stuffing

150 gm butter

2 onions, thinly sliced

3 leeks, white part only, thinly sliced

2 apples, peeled, deseeded, halved and cut into small segments (350 gm)

100 gm shelled walnuts, roughly chopped

2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves

2 fresh bay leaves

100 gm pancetta, finely diced

140 gm coarse fresh breadcrumbs (2 cups)

1 orange, finely grated rind and juice only

1 lemon, finely grated rind and juice only

2 eggs, lightly beaten

Method

Main

1.For walnut and apple stuffing, melt butter in a saucepan over low heat and sauté onion and leek for 15 minutes or until soft. Transfer to a large bowl and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Add remaining ingredients, season to taste with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper and combine well. Spoon mixture into a 11cm x 30cm (7-cup capacity) terrine mould, cover with lid and set aside.

2.Preheat oven to 220C. Place suckling pig in a roasting pan. Combine sea salt and olive oil and spoon mixture all over pig, rubbing over skin for 3-5 minutes. Using a sharp knife, score top of pig and insert garlic slices and sprigs of rosemary into slits. Place a 10cm-long piece of wood vertically in the pig’s mouth (see note) and roast for 1 hour, then reduce temperature to 200C. At this stage, cover pig’s ears, snout and tail with foil to prevent burning, place stuffing in oven and roast pig for another 30 minutes or until skin is crisp and meat is cooked through. Remove stuffing from oven and keep warm. Remove pig from oven, transfer to a large platter, cover with a clean tea towel and rest for 15-20 minutes. Remove wood from mouth and replace with the apple. Serve sliced with stuffing, watercress and vegetables, salads, pickled onions, apple and rosemary jelly and condiments.

Note Suckling pig is available from select butchers. It will need to be ordered ahead. The piece of wood used to prop open the mouth of the pig aids in its presentation, allowing room for the apple at serving stage.
Notes