September Sundays

It's that time of the year again. The long summer evenings have come to a halt, the weather alternates between stiflingly humid and bitterly cold, as the gods decide to mess with our heads with the mere hint of an Indian summer. But really, almost no one in Ireland is bothered by the weather on the second Sunday in September. Unless it's lashing rain and belting hail out of the heaven's, we've got other things on our mind. All Ireland finals for example.

Following  long trips around county grounds on summer Sundays, where shouts of ''Hats, scarf's and headbands'' ring around fields, and half cold burgers are hastily bought following a rake of pints, the men most skilful with the hurl and sliotar are making their way to Dublin.

 And in their wake will follow 80,000 fans with the most precious tickets, and thousands more just up for the craic. The pubs around Drumcondra and Jones Road in particular will be heaving with the masses, barely room to breath, as long lost friends, who only ever see each other on match day meet up to discussion the chances. All over Dublin, people in jerseys show themselves to be up for the Match, wandering around, slightly lost, hurrying in every direction, the die hards, wanting to be in the stadium for the minor throw in.

And in houses all over the county, GAA fans will be getting the days work done and dusted so they can sit back and watch The Sunday Game Live without interruption. This presents a dilemma. What to do for dinner? Of course it'll be a roast. That's not the question. But WHAT to roast. It has to be something that doesn't need to watched or checked or basted or mollycoddled in any way..there's hurling to watch for God's sake! So, for an alternative roast, one that takes up to 4 hours slow cooking, no checking and if good old-fashioned Sunday comfort, here is my recipe for Chinese spiced belly of pork with a dipping sauce. 

You will need:
1.3kg boned pork belly, skin on and scored.
2tsp Chinese five spice
2tsp sea salt
1tbsp hoisin sauce

For the dipping sauce:
4tbsp soy sauce (NOT dark soy -just the normal or low salt versions)
small piece of root ginger, grated 
1tbsp Thai sweet chilli sauce
1 spring onion finely chopped
2 tbsp water

1. Rub the pork with the five spice, salt and hoisin sauce and leave, uncovered in the fridge for 2 hours or over night.

2.When ready to cook, heat over to its maximum. Place the pork on a rack over a roasting tin and roast for 10 mins.

3. Turn the heat down to Gas 1 or the slow cook setting and leave to cook for 3-4 hours. (If the skin is getting too dark cover with a piece of tin foil.
4. Leave to rest for 10 mins on a board before serving. 

To make the dipping sauce:
Mix all the ingredients together. 

Serve with rice and stir fried peas. 

Seriously simple,this recipe allows mammy or the cook of the house to watch the match, without running between kitcken and living room. Going to nail my colours to the mast here..HUP THE BANNER!!