Danish roast pork with crackling (Flæskesteg)

1. Score the rind of the loin with a sharp knife at 1 cm intervals right down to the fat but not into the meat; pat the rind completely dry with kitchen paper.

2. Rub the salt well into the cuts and push the bay leaves and cloves in between them.

3. Place the meat rind side down in a roasting tin, pour in half the water and roast in an oven preheated to 200 °C for 20 minutes.

4. Turn it rind side up and roast at 180 °C for another 70-80 minutes, topping up the water as needed; finally roast at 230 °C (grill setting) for 10-15 minutes until the rind blisters and crackles.

5. Rest the meat for 15 minutes; meanwhile strain the pan juices, skim off the fat, mix the flour smooth with a little water, stir it into the juices and simmer with the cream and pepper for 5 minutes until thick.

6. Slice the pork along the cuts and serve with the gravy, boiled potatoes and braised red cabbage.

Tip: Flæskesteg is the king of the Danish Christmas table, and the crackling (svær) is the most coveted bite. Ask your butcher for loin with the rind on; it only turns really crisp if it is completely dry before roasting. If it doesn't blister enough at the end, put it under the grill for a few more minutes – but keep an eye on it.