Hungarian Pork Rack

Ingredients for the Hungarian spice mix

• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• 1 tsp caraway seeds
• 1 tsp hot Hungarian paprika
• 1 tsp sea salt
• ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 800g-1kg rack of pork, with 4 cutlets, skin scored

Pound all the spices together with a pestle and mortar, until the seeds are lightly crushed. Set aside. Remove the pork from the fridge. Rub the spice mixture over the skin and the meat at either ends of the rack. Cover and set aside for 1 hour.

Heat the oven to 220C/425F/Gas Mark 7.

Sit the pork on a rack and sit the rack over a roasting dish.

Cook for 30 minutes, until the skin is just starting to crisp.

Turn down the heat to 180C/350F/Gas Mark 4 and cook for another 30 minutes.

The meat should start to look dark golden all over and the skin should start to crisp up around the edges. To check it’s done, pierce the meat to the centre with a skewer. If the juices run clear, it’s ready, if not, give it 10 minutes more.

For really crunchy crackling, turn the heat back up to 220C/ 425F/Gas Mark 7 and cook for another 10 minutes, watching to make sure it doesn’t burn. Remove from the oven, lightly cover with foil and leave to rest for 30 minutes before carving.