Waste not ... Leftover roast pork

Sunday is the perfect day to cook a feast large enough to make extra food for the week ahead. Thick end of pork belly is one of my family’s favourite roasting joints, with a strong ratio of crackling to meat; the meat itself is super-rich and fatty, so even a small portion satiates.

The leftovers are delicious cold, and even just a couple of tablespoons can be turned into fancy sliders. If you are lucky enough to have any crackling left over, too, chop it up finely and turn that crisp goodness through the pulled meat.

Leftover roast pork sliders with fennel, pear and gherkin slaw

If your leftover pork is slow-cooked already, simply shred about 30g meat per portion with two forks and reheat gently in a pan with a tablespoon of barbecue sauce.

If, however, your roast pork needs tenderising, put 30g per slider in a small, hard-wearing pan and add enough leftover roasting juices, gravy, stock or water to come about 2cm above the meat. Bring to a boil, turn down to a simmer, cover and cook for 20 minutes, until the meat is fork-tender. Towards the end of the cooking time, take off the lid so the liquid reduces to a thick sauce. Shred the meat with two forks, add a tablespoon of barbecue sauce per slider, and season. Serve in a slider bun or a halved hotdog bun with the following optional slaw.

To make my fennel, pear and gherkin slaw, finely slice 10g each of gherkin, fennel and pear (or apple) per slider. Dress with a teaspoon of gherkin brine and finely chopped parsley stem, then season to taste.