Paprika and garlic rubbed roast pork with roast potatoes, nectarine salad and saffron aioli recipe

1. The day before, marinate the pork. Using a sharp knife, carefully remove the skin, trying to keep a decent layer of fat underneath it. Set aside on a plate, uncovered, in the bottom of the fridge. Put the garlic in a mortar with a good pinch of salt and mash with a pestle until almost completely crushed. Stir in the two paprikas and the olive oil, then rub all over the pork. Put in an airtight container, then chill in the fridge overnight.
2. You can also make the aioli. Put the saffron in a small bowl and pour over the lemon juice with ½ tsp hot water. Leave to stand for 10 mins. Put the egg yolks in a bowl with the garlic, a large pinch of salt and the saffron with its soaking liquid, and whisk with a small whisk for a minute or so, until well combined. Gradually stir in the mayonnaise, whisking all the time, until everything is smooth. It will be a bit runnier than a normal mayonnaise, but that’s fine. Cover and chill overnight.
3. The next day, remove the pork skin and marinated pork from the fridge and preheat the oven to gas 9, 250°C, fan 230°C. Season both sides of the pork skin with salt and place, skin-side up, on a baking tray. Roast for 25-30 mins, or until well crackled. Remove and set aside at room temperature on a plate. Turn down the oven to gas 4, 180°C, fan 160°C.
4. Wrap up the pork loosely in a large piece of foil – big enough to let the air circulate a little but tight enough not to let the juices escape. Place on a clean baking tray and roast for 45 mins.
5. Meanwhile, soak the potatoes in a bowl of heavily salted water for 30 mins, then drain and pat dry with kitchen paper. Drizzle the oil out over your largest baking tin (or the grill pan from the oven) and spread the potatoes out in a single layer. Toss in the oil, then add to the oven under the pork 30 mins into the pork’s cooking time.
6. After the pork has had 45 mins, take the potatoes and the pork out of the oven, and remove the pork from the foil, draining and reserving all the cooking juices, then return to the baking tray to cook for a further 15-25 mins (15 for a 1kg joint, 25 for a 1.2kg), so the outside can crisp up a little. After this time, the pork will be cooked – remove from the oven and re-wrap in foil to rest while you prepare everything else.
7. Turn up the oven to gas 8, 220°C, fan 200°C, and pour the reserved meat juices over the potatoes. Toss to coat – don’t worry if they break up a little – then return to the oven for a further 20-25 mins, tossing once more, until deep golden and very crisp on the edges. Add the crackling for the final five minutes to warm through again.
8. Meanwhile, make the salad. Boil the green beans for 3 mins, then drain and run under cold water until they’re back to room temperature. Pat dry with kitchen paper and set aside. Make the dressing by mixing the mustard, sherry vinegar and honey together in a small jar. Season, then gradually whisk in the olive oil, stirring, until you have a thick, emulsified dressing. Lay the green beans, nectarine slices and manchego over a large serving platter, and scatter over the mint. Drizzle over the dressing, starting with half of it, adding more if you think it needs it.
9. Unwrap the pork and carve into thin slices. Cut the crackling into pieces, then transfer the potatoes to a serving dish and drizzle with 2-3 tbsp of the aioli and finish with an extra pinch of smoked paprika. Serve everything together, with extra aioli on the side.

Tip: Make the saffron aioli and salad dressing up to 2 days in advance and keep in the fridge. You can par-boil the green beans up to 24 hours ahead. Drain, cool, pat dry with kitchen paper, then transfer to an airtight container lined with more kitchen paper and keep in the fridge.

See more Pork recipes