Using a sharp kitchen knife or Stanley knife, carefully score the pork belly skin at 1/2 inch intervals.
DO NOT cut into the meat.
Dry with kitchen towel/paper towel.
I use a simple fennel and garlic marinade.
Place a small frying pan over a high heat and add the fennel seeds for no more than 2 minutes. When fragrant, remove from the heat and pour into a mortar. Using the pestle, grind the seeds and add the garlic cloves.
When ground into a dry paste, slowly add the oil and grind until you have a thick paste.
Place the Pork Belly onto a large plate and rub the marinade into both the flesh side and the scored fat side. Place in the fridge to marinade, ideally overnight.
Prior to cooking, remove the Pork from the fridge and allow to come to room temperature. Less of a shock to the meat.
Preheat your oven to 220C/200C fan/ Gas 7.
Grease a large roasting tin in preparation.
In a small bowl, add the coriander and fennel seeds and a good pinch of sea salt and thoroughly mix.
Place the pork skin-side up in roasting tin.
Rub the coriander and fennel seed mix into the skin side of the pork.
Cut the apples into 1/4's together with the shallots and place in the pan with the pork. I add a little oil to the apples and shallots to help with the cooking.
Place the roasting tin in the middle of the heated oven for 40 minutes or until skin starts to bubble
Carefully remove the pork from oven and transfer the apples to a separate dish and put to one side.
Reduce oven to 160°C and add the stock to the roasting tin.
Return the pork to the oven and roast for a further 45 minutes OR until meat is cooked through and crackling is crisp and golden.
Return the apples to pan for the final 5 minutes of cooking time just to heat through.
When cooked, remove from the oven and cover loosely with foil to allow the pork to rest for 10 - 15 minutes.
Place the pork onto a board and slice.
Serve the pork on a bed of rice with the apples for a lovely tasty dish.
Pour the resting juices over the dishes as it tastes amazing.