Ingredients

900 gm piece of pork neck, tied with string to hold its shape

2 tsp seasoned plain flour

2 tsp mustard powder

40 gm butter, coarsely chopped

300 ml fresh cow’s-milk whey (see note)

8 pickling onions (about 60gm each), halved

1 fresh bay leaf

1 thyme sprig

50 ml verjuice

10 gm small salted capers, rinsed and drained (3 tsp)

2 tsp lemon juice

½ cup finely chopped mixed herbs, such as chives, tarragon and flat-leaf parsley

2 tsp olive oil

1 tsp cider vinegar

Pickled yellow mustard seeds

125 ml cider vinegar (½ cup)

25 gm yellow mustard seeds

20 gm caster sugar

Brine

190 gm sea salt

80 gm caster sugar

4 each juniper berries, cloves and black peppercorns

2 fresh bay leaves

Crisp pork skin

300 gm pork skin, trimmed of excess fat

1 tsp olive oil

1 tsp fennel seeds, crushed

Method

Main

1.For pickled yellow mustard seeds, combine all ingredients and 125ml water in a small saucepan, bring to the simmer over medium-high heat, then reduce heat and simmer very gently, stirring occasionally, until seeds are tender (30-40 minutes). Set aside to cool. Makes 2 tbsp and keeps for 2 weeks refrigerated in pickling liquid.

2.For brine, combine ingredients in a saucepan with 2 litres of water, stir to dissolve sugar and salt, and bring to the boil, then set aside to cool to room temperature.

3.For crisp pork skin, preheat oven to 200C. Score pork skin with a sharp knife at 1cm intervals and rub with oil, 1 tbsp sea salt and crushed fennel seeds. Thread a skewer across the skin so it remains flat while cooking, then place on an oven tray and roast until crackled (30-40 minutes; if necessary, cut off outside edges when crackled and remove, putting uncrackled skin back in the oven). Cool, then pound into pieces with a mortar and pestle.

4.Pat pork neck dry with absorbent paper and submerge in brine, weight down with a plate, and refrigerate overnight to pickle. Remove from brine, drain well and pat dry.

5.Preheat oven to 150C. Combine seasoned flour and mustard powder, then coat pork neck. Heat butter in a large ovenproof frying pan over medium-high heat, and cook pork, turning occasionally, until golden (5-7 minutes). Drain excess fat from pan, then deglaze with 2 tbsp of whey. Add onions, remaining whey, bay leaf and thyme, and braise in oven uncovered, turning once or twice, until pork is tender (2½ hours). Transfer meat to a plate and keep warm.

6.Reduce pan juices over high heat to a sticky, caramelised consistency (4-6 minutes). Add verjuice, 1 tbsp pickled yellow mustard, seeds capers and lemon juice, season to taste, stir and set aside.

7.Combine herbs with olive oil and cider vinegar, and season to taste.

8.To serve, remove string from pork if necessary, slice thickly and place on plates. Spoon onion sauce over, scatter with herbs, then crumble crisp pork skin on top.