Roast pork with smoked ham and gruyère stuffing

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 220°C/fan200°C/gas 7. Lay the pork skin-side up on a chopping board and score the skin horizontally with lines about 1cm apart along the whole joint, taking care not to cut too deeply and down into the meat. Turn the joint over and season with salt and pepper.
2. For the stuffing, melt the 50g butter in a medium-size pan, add the onion and celery, cover and cook gently for 4 minutes. Uncover, add the leek, re-cover and cook for 2 minutes until all the vegetables are just soft but not browned. Tip into a mixing bowl and leave to cool. Stir in the cheese, ham, breadcrumbs and herbs. Mix in the eggs and the mustard, then stir and season.
3. Lay the meat skin-side down on a board. Cut under the eye of the loin (the main part of the meat) to loosen it a little and create space for the stuffing (or get your butcher to do this). Spread one third of the stuffing mixture into the pocket and over the central part of the meat, then roll up and tie at 2.5cm intervals along its length to form a neat joint. Rub the pork skin with a little oil and sprinkle with salt. Shape the rest of the stuffing into walnut-size balls and put into a lightly oiled baking dish in a single layer.
4. If you have the bones (see tip) arrange them in the centre of a lightly oiled roasting tin so they curve upwards in the middle, then put the joint on top. If not, put the joint straight into the roasting tin. Transfer to the oven and roast for 1 hour, then lower the temperature to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas 4 and roast for another 1½ hours. It’s cooked when the juices from the pork run clear when pierced with a skewer.
5. While the pork cooks, start the gravy. Melt the 30g butter in a large pan, add the onion and carrots, then fry until golden and set aside.
6. For the cabbage, remove and discard the tough outer leaves, cut the rest into quarters, cut out and discard the core, then slice the leaves into 3cm wide strips. Separate the layers and set aside.
7. When the pork is cooked, lift the meat onto a board, cover loosely with foil and leave to rest for 20-30 minutes. Increase the oven temperature to 220°C/fan200°C/gas 7. Put the stuffing balls on the top shelf of the oven and roast for 25 minutes until crisp and golden.
8. Remove the bones from the tin, if using, and cut them into separate ribs – these make a great pre-dinner snack. Drain off the excess fat from the roasting tin, put over a medium heat, add the white wine and scrape the base of the tin with a wooden spoon to release all the caramelised juices. Return the pan of onion and carrots to the heat and, when sizzling, stir in the flour. Gradually stir in the liquid from the roasting tin, followed by the stock, herbs and bones. Simmer for 15 minutes, then strain through a sieve into a clean pan, season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper, and keep hot.
9. For the cabbage, melt the 40g butter in a large pan, then add the garlic and caraway seeds. When they sizzle, add the cabbage leaves, 6 tbsp water, the salt and some freshly ground black pepper. Cover and cook over a medium heat for 5-6 minutes, stirring every now and then, or until the cabbage has wilted and is just tender.
10. To carve the pork, snip and remove the pieces of string, then slide a carving knife under the crackling and remove it in one piece. Cut across into smaller pieces. Carve the pork into slices and serve with the cabbage, stuffing and gravy.