Twice-Cooked Pork Belly With Pickled Apple Salad And Maple-Glazed Cabbage

Crackling and delicious, this dish showcases twice-cooked pork and apple in a classic flavour combination that's sure to impress.

Twice-cooking and pressing this pork belly delivers restaurant-grade crackling. The zingy introduction of pickled apple instead of classic baked or puréed apple takes the iconic pairing from Sunday roast to date night territory. Begin this twice-cooked pork belly recipe a day ahead.

• 1.2 kg boneless pork belly, fat scored
• 1 head of garlic, halved
• 4 star anise
• 1 bunch thyme
• 625 ml (2½ cups) white wine
• 300 ml chicken stock

• ½ red cabbage, cut into thick wedges
• 2 tbsp each maple syrup and apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• ½ tsp ground nutmeg
• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling

• 60 ml (¼ cup) apple cider vinegar
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• 1 Granny Smith apple, sliced
• ¼ cup each (loosely packed) micro mint, flat-leaf parsley leaves, and micro red vein sorrel
• 50 gm (½ cup) toasted walnuts, coarsely chopped