Roast Pork with Glazed Pears and Carrots

Ingredients

• 1.40 kg (3lb 1 oz) boneless pork leg joint
• 3 firm pears, halved (any type of pear)
• 1 tblsp demerara sugar
• 750 g (1lb 10 oz) chantenay carrots, trimmed
• 2 tblsp chopped fresh thyme

Method

1. Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 7, 220?C/ fan oven 200?C. Place the pork joint in a large roasting tin and roast for 15 minutes then reduce the oven temperature to Gas mark 5/ 190?C / fan oven 170?C and roast for a further 45 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, use a teaspoon to scoop the cores out of the pear halves. Place the sugar on a small plate and press the cut sides of the pears in the sugar to coat.
3. After 45 minutes, add the carrots to the roasting tin and place the pear halves on top. Scatter the thyme all over then spoon some of the cooking juices over the pears and carrots. Return to the oven and roast for a further 45 minutes or until the pork is cooked through (the juices should run clear when the centre of the joint is pierced with a skewer or small sharp knife), and the pears and carrots are caramelised and tender.
4. Remove the roasting tin from the oven, cover loosely with foil and leave to rest for 15 minutes. Keep the glazed pears and carrots warm.
5. Remove the skin and any fat from the pork and cut the pork into thin slices. Serve 105g (3 ½ oz) roast pork per person with the glazes pears and carrots.

For apple sauce: peel and core two cooking apples then slice them into a lidded saucepan. Add 4 tablespoons of water and 2 tablespoons of sugar. Cover the pan and cook for 7-8 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the apples have collapsed. Serve warm or cold. This quantity makes enough to serve 6 generously. The ProPoints values per serving will be 1.