Ingredients:-

• 6 tbsp vegetable oil
• 900g diced pork
• 2 small onions, finely sliced
• 1 tbsp plain flour
• 2 celery sticks, finely chopped
• 225g ready-to-eat dried apricots
• finely grated zest 1 lemon
• finely grated zest 1 orange
• 2 Cox's apples, peeled and chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 tsp each finely chopped fresh thyme, rosemary and sage
• good pinch of curry powder
• ½ tsp ground fennel seed
• ½ bottle red wine
• 600ml vegetable stock
• 650g parsnips

For the cobbler crust

• 200g self-raising flour
• 85g shredded suet
• 50g chilled butter, grated
• 3 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
• beaten egg, to glaze

Method:-

For the filling

• Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large pan and fry the pork in small batches for 4-5 minutes until just browned, then remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
• Add the onions to the pan and fry for 5-6 minutes until soft and golden.
• Return the pork to the pan and sprinkle in the flour. Cook for 1 minute, stirring well.
• Add the celery, apricots, lemon and orange zest, apples, garlic, herbs and spices.
• Pour in the wine and stock and bring to simmering point, then cover and gently cook for 11⁄4 hours or until the pork is tender.
• Remove from the heat.

Meanwhile

• Preheat the oven to 200C/Gas 6/fan oven 180C.
• Peel and cut the parsnips into 2.5cm/1in dice.
• Put the remaining oil in a roasting tin and put in the oven for 5 minutes until hot.
• Tip the parsnip chunks into the roasting tin and coat in the hot oil.
• Roast in the oven for 30 minutes until cooked through and golden brown.
• Drain and set aside.
• When the pork is tender, stir in the parsnips.
• Spoon into a 2 litre/31⁄2 pint ovenproof dish and leave to cool completely.

For the cobbler crust

• Sift the flour and season.
• Add the suet, butter and parsley and lightly mix in with a fork.
• Make a well in the centre, then add the lemon zest and juice and gently bring together to make a soft and pliable dough. If it is too dry, add a little cold water, but don’t knead the dough or it will become tough.
• Reduce the temperature to 180C/Gas 4/fan oven 160C.
• Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to about 5mm/1⁄4in thick.
• Cut the dough into rounds using a 7.5cm/3in pastry cutter.
• Re-roll the trimmings and cut out more rounds until all the dough is used up.
• Arrange the circles of dough so that they slightly overlap on top.
• Brush the dough with beaten egg and bake in the oven for 45 minutes until the crust is golden.