Name: Pork scratchings sandwich with apple and cabbage slaw
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 80 min
Total time: 110 min
Yield: 4

Pork scratchings sandwich with apple and cabbage slaw

Here, spiced pork scratchings come together with garlicky aïoli and a crunchy slaw for a hard-to-beat snack.

Serves 4

Prep

30M

Cook

1H 20M

Total

1H 50M

The ultimate bar snack, pork scratchings make a fine sandwich to go with drinks. Here, spiced pork scratchings come together with garlicky aïoli and a crunchy slaw in this hard-to-beat snack. Start this recipe a day ahead to dry out the pork skin.

Ingredients

1 piece pork belly skin (about 800gm; see note)

1 tbsp white vinegar

½ tsp smoked paprika

1/2 tsp ground fennel seeds

Softened butter, for spreading

8 thick slices seeded sourdough

Aïoli, to serve

Apple and cabbage slaw

300 gm Savoy cabbage, shaved

2 small Granny Smith apples, cut into julienne

1/4 small Spanish onion, thinly sliced

60 ml extra-virgin olive oil (1/4 cup)

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 tbsp sherry vinegar

1/3 cup coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley

1/3 cup coarsely chopped mint

Method

Main

1.Place pork skin on a wire rack on a tray and refrigerate uncovered overnight to dry out.

2.Preheat oven to 140C. Rub skin with vinegar, slice into thin strips and arrange on a wire rack in a roasting pan so they’re not touching and roast, turning occasionally, until fat renders (50 minutes to 1 hour), then increase oven to 200C and roast until crisp and browned (15-20 minutes).

3.Dry-roast spices in a saucepan until fragrant (30-40 seconds), then season scratchings to taste with spice mix and salt.

4.For apple and cabbage slaw, combine ingredients in a bowl and season to taste.

5.To serve, butter bread slices and spread half with aïoli. Top with pork scratchings, then slaw, sandwich with remaining bread and serve.

Pork belly skin is available from some supermarkets, or order ahead from a butcher.
Drink Suggestion: Cloudy English scrumpy Drink suggestion by Max Allen
Notes