Jo Pratt's Crispy Pork Belly with Butterbean and Apple Mash and Spicy Cider Gravy

The thick layer of fat keeps the meat really moist as it roasts, and also gives you a nice, even layer of delicious crackling

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   Pre-heat the oven to 180C/gas 4. Place the pork, skin side up, in a roasting tray. rub a little olive oil over the skin, and then rub in the salt, making sure it goes between the score lines. Place in the oven for 1½ hours.
   
   Lift the pork from the tray and scatter in the onions, celery, carrot and thyme. Sit the pork on top. Return to the oven and cook for another hour.
   
   By now the meat should be meltingly soft and the skin wonderfully crisp. You can continue to roast the pork if you want the skin even crispier.
   
   To make the mash, melt the butter in a saucepan. Add the garlic and apples and cook gently for about 5 minutes until the apples are soft.
   
   Add the butterbeans, cream and season. Heat gently until the beans are hot. Transfer to a food processor and briefly blitz to a mash as chunky or smooth as you wish. If you need to loosen it, add some more cream or even a little water.
   
   If you are not serving it straight away, return to the saucepan and gently heat when needed.
   
   Transfer the pork to a board to rest, covered with foil. Spoon any excess fat from the roasting tray, and place the tray over a high heat on the hob. Add the cider, chilli flakes and honey and bring to the boil, scraping any sticky residue from the base of the tray.
   
   Season to taste and strain through a sieve, pushing it through with the base of a ladle.
   
   Cut the pork into four pieces, and serve with the mash, gravy and the garlic and mustard buttered green beans.