You will need to start this recipe a day ahead. Serves 6

Prep time

15 mins, cook 2 hours 5 mins (plus marinating)

Ingredients

• 750 ml (3 cups) Perry (see note)
• 60 ml cider vinegar
• 110 gm ( ½ cup firmly packed) brown sugar
• 1 tsp cloves
• 1 kg piece of bacon, cut lengthways into thirds
• 400 gm (about 6) parsnips, peeled and halved lengthways
• 2 firm Packham pears, cut into wedges
• 200 gm peeled chestnuts

Lemon and Nutmeg Spinach

• 50 gm butter, coarsely chopped
• 4 bunches (about 1.2 kg) English spinach, trimmed, washed
• Finely grated rind and juice of 2 lemons
• tsp finely ground fresh nutmeg

Method

1. Bring Perry, vinegar, brown sugar and cloves to the boil in a saucepan over medium heat and cook until reduced to 2 cups (about 25 minutes).

2. Season to taste with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, then cool.

3. Place bacon in a roasting pan, pour over reduction, turn to coat, cover with foil and refrigerate overnight, turning occasionally.

4. Preheat oven to 200oC. Remove foil from roasting pan and add parsnip, pear and chestnuts. Replace foil and roast for 35 minutes. Remove foil, increase heat to 220oC and roast, basting frequently and turning pork halfway through cooking, until pork is golden (about 1 hour).

5. Meanwhile, for lemon and nutmeg spinach, melt butter in a large frying pan over medium heat, add spinach and lemon rind and cook, stirring occasionally, until wilted (about 5-7 minutes).

6 .Season to taste with lemon juice, nutmeg, sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Serve pork with roasted parsnips, pears and chestnuts and spinach to the side.

Note: Perry is available from select liquor shops. If it’s unavailable substitute with cider.