Marion Grasby
Marion has a simple food philosophy that focuses on fresh flavours and tastes that satisfy. Her deep love of food and cooking has made her an intrepid eater who loves Thai street food as much as a fine dining degustation.
 
Marion is a food writer based in South Australia’s McLaren Vale wine region. She’s been cooking with the Cobb for more than seven years and is still amazed at how versatile it is, whether on the beach or the dining room table.

  
Nothing says Sunday like a long lunch with minimal fuss. My latest Sunday spread was made up of oh-so-tender slabs of roast pork slathered with a fresh basil olive oil and served with spiced potatoes. Cooking a pork roast to juicy perfection can be difficult in a conventional oven, which is why I always cook it in my Cobb. The flavoured liquid in the moat acts as a kind of steamer and keeps your pork meltingly moist. No fuss, minimal effort and a pork roast to die for. Now that’s what I call Sunday lunch.
 

Sunday Pork Roast with Spiced Potatoes
and Basil Olive Oil
 

 

Serves 8


2 kg pork loin, boned and tied
1 Tbsp ground fennel seeds
½ Tbsp ground cumin seeds
2 tsp sea salt
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
Juice of half a lemon
1 leek, trimmed, washed and sliced into rounds
16 small baby potatoes, halved
1 cup white wine (you can also use beer, stock or water)
A sprig of fresh rosemary
1 cup basil leaves
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt & pepper
 
Cobb fuel: 1 Cobble Stone or 10 heat beads
 
Make a spice marinade by mixing together ground fennel seeds, cumin seeds, sea salt, olive oil, lemon juice and a generous grinding of pepper.
 
Tear off four squares of aluminium foil and place a quarter of the potatoes and sliced leek in each. Drizzle over a tsp of the spice marinade over each pile then fold and pinch together the foil to make four parcels.
 
Place the pork in a large bowl and cover with the spice marinade. Let it sit while you light the Cobb.
 
Once your Cobb fuel is lit, pour a cup of white wine (or an alternative) into the moat. Throw some rosemary leaves into the liquid. Place the potato and leek parcels into the moat. Put the Cobb grill on and let it heat for a couple of minutes.
 
When the grill is hot, place the pork (fat-side down) onto it. If you’re using the Cobble Stones it’s best to sit the meat on a Cobb Roasting Rack. Put your lid on and let the Cobb do its work for 2 and a half hours. After about an hour you need to take the pork off the grill, so that you can check the moat still has liquid in it. Add another ½ cup of water if it looks a little dry. Then replace the grill, turn the meat onto its other side and put the lid back on.
 
While the pork is cooking, make your basil olive oil. Finely chop the basil, mix with the olive oil and add sea salt and pepper to taste.
 
To serve: Lay slices of pork onto a platter and drizzle with the basil olive oil. Serve with the spiced potatoes and a crunchy green salad.