Pork Crackling

I'm too selfish and entitled to be a vegetarian. My one concession to conscious eating is that I do my best to make the most of every piece of beast that enters my kitchen. Food waste is a hideously ugly aspect of our wealth in the west, and it's worse if what we're wasting had to die for our dinners. So, whether it's a whole chicken, pork shoulder or leg of lamb, I try to make use of every scrap of meat, fat, bones and skin.

Pork skin is an easy win for the resourseful cook. Crackling earns you the most kitchen kudos for the least amount of effort. Casually pass your guests an oven tray of these crunchy, salty sticks while you explain your virtuous anti food-waste philosophy and they'll gush with awe and admiration.

You can cook a single sheet of crackling and eat the whole thing by yourself with a bottle of chardonnay and a season of The Sopranos. Or if you actually have friends, slice it into sticks and share.

Pork Crackling

A sheet of pork skin from a pork belly, shoulder or leg

1 tsp salt - depending on size of the skin

1 tsp fennel seeds (optional)

1 tsp vegetable oil

Method

Use a very sharp knife (I use a Stanley blade) to cut the skin into even strips about 5mm wide.

Toss the strips in the salt - and fennel seeds if you're using them.

Spread the strips out on a plate and refridgerate uncovered for 2 to 24 hours. This helps draw out water for a crisper crackle.

Heat your oven to 200C.

Toss your strips of pork skin in the vegetable oil and spread them out on an oven tray in a single layer.

Bake for 30 minutes, checking after 20. It's not an exact science because different pieces of pork skin are different thicknesses and contain different levels of moisture.

The crackling can come out of the oven when it's brittle, bubbled-up and golden. They'll crisp-up even more if you let them cool on some absorbent kitchen towels for 30 minutes.