Top Mum

Remember the “friendship cake” furore a few years ago? When neighbours would appear on your doorstep with a tub of sourdough starter – bubbling after days of putrefaction – and press it into your hand along with photocopied instructions on how to nurture it into a neverending supply of confectionery?

All recipes serve 4

Rosemary and anchovies (above)

6 anchovies
A few sprigs of rosemary, leaves only
4 cloves garlic
1 tbsp olive oil
1.5kg pork shoulder, boned
1 large glass white wine

1 Combine anchovies, rosemary, garlic and oil with a pestle and mortar. Rub over pork meat (not skin). Wrap in clingfilm and marinate overnight.
2 Place pork skin-side up in roasting tray. Score and season skin, add wine to tray and cover with foil. Cook at 150C/Gas 2 for 4 hours.
3 Uncover. Turn oven up to 220C/Gas 7. Cook for 40 minutes until skin crisps. Serve with juices.

Chilli and garlic

2 red chillies, deseeded
Large knob fresh ginger
4 garlic cloves
1 tbsp coriander seeds
2 tbsp olive oil
1.5kg pork shoulder, boned
1 large glass white wine

1 Blitz all marinade ingredients in processor. Rub over pork meat (not skin). Wrap in clingfilm and marinate overnight.
2 Place pork skin-side up in roasting tray. Score and season skin, add wine to tray and cover with foil. Cook at 150C/Gas 2 for 4 hours.
3 Uncover. Turn oven up to 220C/Gas 7. Cook for 40 minutes until skin crisps. Serve with juices.

Cumin and paprika

Juice of half a lemon
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp mustard powder
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1.5kg pork shoulder, boned
1 large glass white wine

Combine marinade ingredients and cook as per rosemary recipe.

Fennel and cardamom

1 tsp cardamom pods, crushed
2 star anise
1 tbsp fennel seeds
1 tbsp wholegrain mustard
2 tbsp olive oil
1.5kg pork shoulder, boned
1 large glass white wine

Combine marinade ingredients and cook as per rosemary recipe.

Colonel Harland Sanders’ recipe of 11 herbs and spices, the secret formula of the Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant empire, is kept inside a 770lb safe, encased in 2ft of concrete and guarded by motion detectors and cameras at KFC’s headquarters in Louisville.