Braised Belly Pork with Apples and Prunes

Ready for the oven

I am still working on my tea towel gifts, but they are not finished, so I thought I would share a warming winter recipe with you.
I bought belly pork thinking it was spare ribs - not paying attention, really.  I wanted to use them with sauerkraut. However, having got them, I decided to do something else with them. You can serve this with jacket potatoes as they will soak up the juice and maximise the use of your oven.








Ingredients:
One package of belly pork slices, about 1 1/2 lbs
1 Tablespoon olive oil
2 onions or 6 - 8 shallots
2 Tablespoons flour
2 apples, cored and quartered
a handful of prunes
a small bottle of cider (about two cups)
2 sprigs of thyme
salt and pepper
a little water

Cooking Method:
Use a hob to oven pan, like a le Creuset casserole pan.
Begin by browning the belly pork slices in a little oil. I did not remove the fat and the rind as they add flavour and can be removed later.
Remove from pan.
Gently cook onions or shallots in the same pan until softened. (5 minutes)
Add the flour and stir to make a paste.
Put the pork and all the other ingredients in the pan and bring to simmering point.
If you need a little more liquid, add some water.  The liquid should cover the other ingredients.
Cover the pan and put it in the oven on low heat  (150 degrees C, 30 degrees F and leave to cook for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
Remove from the oven and take out the thyme stems before serving.
Serves 4 or 5 people.

With Jacket Potatoes and Steamed Spring Greens