Ingredients

Serves 10

2.5 kg pork loin (ask your butcher to bone the loin and keep enough belly flap to wrap around the meat and make a roll)
2 tablespoons salt
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
¼ cup fresh thyme leaves
¼ cup fresh sage leaves
½ cup parsley
¼ cup olive oil

Nicola Mash:
1.8 kg Nicola potatoes
100 mls cream - heated
100gms unsalted butter
Salt

Cabbage, Apple and Tarragon Salad
1 kg white cabbage, hard core removed and very finely shredded
75 g salt
1 Granny Smith apple, skin on, cored and sliced into thin matchsticks
½ cup roughly chopped parsley leave
1 cup watercress sprigs
2 tbsp snipped chives
3 tbsp tarragon vinegar
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Method

Open out the pork loin and lay it, skin side down, on your work surface.
Rub in 1 tablespoon of the salt and all the pepper then scatter on the garlic and fresh herbs.

Roll the loin into a log shape and tie securely with butcher's string at 5 cm intervals.

You can prepare the pork to this stage up to two days in advance. The herbs and seasoning will permeate the flesh and add extra flavour.

When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 220°C and place the pork on a rack inside a large roasting tin.

Rub all over with oil and season with the rest of the salt.

Roast for 20 minutes then lower the temperature to 175°C and roast for 1 hour.
The pork is cooked when the internal core temperature reaches 72°C.

Transfer the cooked pork to a hot dish and leave it to rest for 30 minutes in a warm spot.

Remove the string and carve into slices, each with a crisp layer of crackling.

To make Nicola Mash
Peel potatoes. Boil until tender. Pass through potato press.
Add cream and butter. Season to taste.


To make Cabbage, Apple and Tarragon Salad
Toss the cabbage with the salt in a large container. Cover with a damp tea towel and leave for 1- 2 hours (you can leave it overnight, which will soften the cabbage even more).

Tip the cabbage into a colander and wash very thoroughly to remove the salt.
Pat the cabbage dry and transfer to a large mixing bowl.

Add the apple and fresh herbs and toss gently.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the vinegar and oil. Pour onto the salad and toss to combine.

Season to taste and serve with the hot roast pork.