Crispy Pork Crackling, Lemon & Fennel Swedish Meatballs

Homemade Pork Crackling

• 300 g pork skin or organic free-range pork scratchings

Meatballs

• 60 g ground almonds or almond pulp from homemade almond milk
• 60 ml milk or water or veg stock
• 1 onion finely diced
• 2 teaspoons butter
• 500 g pork mince
• 1 teaspoon fennel seeds crushed
• Zest ½ lemon
• 2 cloves garlic crushed
• 25 g parsley leaves finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
• 1 egg lightly beaten
• 2 tablespoons sweet rice flour
• 450 ml chicken stock
• ½ teaspoon redcurrant jelly or cranberry jelly
• 150 ml crème fraîche

Homemade Pork Crackling

1. Day 1: Rub the pork skin all over with plenty of salt and pepper.
2. Place the skin in a wide saucepan, just cover with water, bring to a gentle boil, then simmer with the lid on for about 1½ hours.
3. Remove the skin, pat dry, cool, then refrigerate overnight until completely chilled.
4. Day 2: Slice the chilled pork skin into strips. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a wide pan and fry the strips. They will spit as they turn to crackling, so be cautious. Fry about 10 minutes on one side and 3–4 minutes on the other until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon, cool and chop finely. Reserve the fat in the pan for later.

Meatballs

1. Mix the ground almonds with the milk, cover and refrigerate overnight. (If using almond pulp you can skip this step.)
2. Cook the diced onion in the butter on a very low heat for 20–30 minutes until soft and golden. Chill completely.
3. In a large bowl combine the pork mince, soaked almonds, caramelised onions, crushed fennel seeds, lemon zest, crushed garlic, chopped parsley, thyme, about two-thirds of the chopped pork crackling and the beaten egg. Season and mix thoroughly by hand until fully combined.
4. Shape into balls of roughly 50g each. Heat the pan with 2 tablespoons of the reserved pork fat or olive oil and fry the meatballs 3–4 minutes per side until browned.
5. Remove the meatballs and set aside. Leave about 2 tablespoons of fat in the pan.
6. Add the sweet rice flour to the fat over low heat and stir to form a roux.
7. Slowly whisk in the chicken stock, keeping the sauce smooth. When the sauce simmers, taste and season.
8. Whisk in the redcurrant jelly, then add the crème fraîche and whisk until the sauce is glossy and slightly thinner. Taste and adjust seasoning.
9. Return the meatballs to the pan, coat them in the sauce and heat through for 5–10 minutes until piping hot.
10. Serve with a few spoonfuls of gravy, plenty of chopped parsley and the remaining pork crackling sprinkled over the top.