Pork loin stuffed with chorizo and braised beans

• fennel seeds↗1 tbsp tbsp
• pork loin↗1.3kg kg

  (ask the butcher for a piece from the rib end, it has more fat), boneless, with skin and scored (see tip …

• olive oil↗2 tbsp tbsp
• red onion↗4

  1 finely chopped, 3 sliced into wedges

• garlic cloves↗2

  minced

• crusty bread↗100g g

  torn into small pieces

• lemon↗1

  zest and juice

• thyme↗small bunch of
• chorizo‑style sausage↗250g chorizo-style g

  about 4 sausages (non‑smoked)

• red pepper↗2

  cut into large pieces

• dry sherry↗50ml ml
• chicken stock cube↗1

  crumbled

• smoked paprika↗2 tsp tsp
• butter beans↗2 x 400g cans

  drained

• parsley↗small bunch of

  chopped

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Grind the fennel seeds with 1 tbsp sea salt in a mortar until a fine powder. To flatten the pork loin, place it on a board skin-side down. Using a sharp knife, cut between the fatty layer under the skin and the loin, setting the meat aside, leaving the meat and fat/skin attached at one end. Where there is a “tendinous” part, make another side cut along the thickest part of the meat, halfway along its length. Continue cutting in this direction to the other end of the loin, but not all the way. Open the meat. Rub the fennel and salt into it, then set aside while you prepare the filling. Preheat the oven to 200 °C/180 °C with convection/gas 6.

2. 2

   Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan, add the finely chopped onion and cook over low‑medium heat until soft, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic, cook another minute, transfer to a bowl and let cool.

3. 3

   Place the bread in a baking dish. Bake for 10 minutes, or until crisp and golden, then let cool. Increase oven temperature to 240 °C/220 °C with convection/gas 9.

4. 4

   Break the large pieces of bread into crumbs by hand and add them to the bowl with garlic and onion, together with lemon zest. Remove leaves from half the thyme sprigs and add them, then add the sausage mince, squeezing it out of its casing. Mix everything well by hand.

5. 5

   Pat the meat and pork skin dry with a paper towel. Evenly spread the filling over the opened meat side, then roll the meat around the filling. Place 4‑5 pieces of kitchen twine on a board, lay the rolled meat on top, wrap the skin around the meat and tightly tie the whole loin with the twine, forming a neat cylinder. Rub the remaining oil into the exposed meat and salt into the skin.

6. 6

   Place the loin in a large roasting dish and roast for 20 minutes. Reduce temperature to 180 °C/160 °C with convection/gas 4 and continue cooking for another hour.

7. 7

   Remove the dish from the oven. If there is a lot of fat, carefully drain some, leaving only a thin layer at the bottom. Arrange onion wedges, pepper and remaining thyme sprigs around the pork, then add sherry, stock cube and paprika. Season, stir everything and return to the oven for another 30 minutes.

8. 8

   Add the beans to the vegetables in the dish and squeeze a little lemon juice. If the beans seem dry, add a drop of water. Return to the oven for another 10 minutes.

9. 9

   Remove the dish from the oven. Transfer the pork to a tray and cover the beans to keep them warm. Increase oven temperature to 240 °C/220 °C with convection/gas 9 and roast the pork for another 10‑15 minutes until the skin is crisp. If you don’t see bubbles on the surface, try browning it a few minutes, but watch the crust as it can burn quickly. If you have a meat thermometer, the temperature should reach 75 °C. Remove from the oven, loosely cover with foil and let rest for 10‑15 minutes.

10. 10

    Gently reheat the beans on the stove, then transfer to a large plate. Sprinkle with parsley. Slice the pork into thick pieces and place them over the beans together with pieces of crisp skin.