Roast pork with sage, onion, and orange gravy

Ingredients

1.4 kg (3lbs) pork roasting joint

25g (1oz) lard

small bunch of fresh sage

1 medium orange

1 red onion

1/2 tbsp flour

vegetable stock or water

salt and pepper

Method

PRE-heat the oven to Gas Mark 6, 400 deg F, 200 deg C. Put the lard in a baking tin and add the pork joint, sprinkled with salt.

Roast in the hot oven for 11/2 hours, reducing the heat to Gas Mark 4, 350 deg F, 175 deg C, after the first 40 min.

When the pork is done, remove to a hot serving plate and keep warm. Grate the orange peel and squeeze the juice. Chop the onion and sage finely.

Put the baking dish with the pork juices in on the top of the stove, add the flour and work into the pork juices with a tablespoon.

Add the orange juice and grated rind, onion, sage and 3/4 pint of vegetable stock or water, mixing into the flour gradually over medium heat. Bring to the boil and add salt and pepper to taste. When the gravy is well mixed and thickened, remove to a blender and blend until smooth.

Serve hot with the carved meat.

JUDY BROADWAY