Ingredients
- 825 g (1 lb 13 oz) large potatoes (about 4)
- 300 ml (101 1/2 fl oz) cream
- 3 tablespoons dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon chopped rosemary
- 1.4 kg (3 lb 2 oz) boned, rolled pork leg, skin scored (ask your butcher to do this)
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 3 beurre bosc pears
- 30 g (1 oz) butter, melted
- 1 tablespoon caster (superfine) sugar
- 125 ml (4 fl oz/1 1/2 cup) cider
- 125 ml (4 fl oz/1 1/2 cup) chicken stock
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F/Gas 6). While oven is heating, grease a 20 cm (8 inch) square cake tin or similar-sized square baking dish. Peel the potatoes and slice thinly, using either a mandolin, food processor or by hand. In a stainless-steel bowl, whisk together 250 ml (9 fl oz/1 cup) of the cream, 2 tablespoons of the mustard, rosemary and sea salt to taste. Place slices of potato into the tin in neat layers, until all potato is used, seasoning potatoes lightly with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper as you go. Pour cream mixture over, cover and set aside.
2. Place the pork in a large flameproof roasting pan and rub all over with the vegetable oil. Sprinkle a generous amount of sea salt (about 1 tablespoon) over the pork skin, then roast for 20 minutes. Meanwhile halve the pears lengthways and remove the cores. Brush the pears with melted butter and sprinkle with the caster sugar. When the pork has roasted for 20 minutes, reduce the heat to 180°C (350°F/Gas 4) and add pears to the dish, cut side down. Place the potato gratin in the oven. Cook pork, pears and potatoes for 50 minutes or until pork is just cooked; turn pears over halfway through. Remove pork to a large plate, cover loosely with foil and stand in a warm place; cook gratin and pears for another 10 minutes or until tender.
3. Transfer the pears to the pork plate and turn oven off; gratin will keep warm in cooling oven while you make the sauce. Carefully skim excess fat from pan, then place the roasting pan over medium heat on the stove top. Add cider, stock and remaining mustard, bring to a gentle boil and cook, stirring to remove any sediment stuck to the base of the pan, for 10 minutes or until liquid is reduced by half. Add the remaining cream and simmer for 5 minutes or until reduced and slightly thickened. Serve the pork, sliced, with a slice of gratin, pear and sauce.
