Pan con lechón

Step 1: Pound 10 garlic cloves with 2 tsp salt in a mortar, or crush with the flat of a knife, into a smooth paste. Stir in ¾ cup sour (Seville) orange juice, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 ½ tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp black pepper and 3 tbsp olive oil. Spoon 5 tablespoons of this mojo into a jar and keep it in the fridge for serving.

Step 2: Stab 4 ⅜ lb boneless pork shoulder all over with a small knife, put it in a dish or food bag and rub in the rest of the mojo, pushing it into the cuts. Cover and marinate in the fridge for 12–24 hours, turning once; never leave it at room temperature.

Step 3: Heat the oven to 325°F (275°F fan). Put the pork, skin side up, in a roasting tin with the marinade, cover tightly with foil and roast for 2½ hours.

Step 4: Uncover, turn the oven up to 425°F (400°F fan) and roast for 25–30 minutes more, until the top is crisp and deep brown. Pork must reach at least 145°F in the thickest part, but for this falling-apart texture keep going until a probe reads about 190°F and a fork twists through the meat easily.

Step 5: Rest the pork, loosely covered, for at least 20 minutes. Common mistake: carving it straight from the oven; the juices run out and the meat turns dry.

Step 6: While it rests, fry 2 onions in 2 tbsp vegetable oil over a medium-low heat for 12 minutes, until soft and pale gold, then add 2 tablespoons of the pan juices from the pork.

Step 7: Skim the fat from the roasting tin. Pull or slice the pork thinly, adding the crisp bits too, and toss it in the defatted pan juices.

Step 8: Split 4 soft Cuban-style or French bread loaves, fill generously with pork and onions, and spoon over the reserved mojo. Press the sandwiches flat on a hot griddle for 1 minute each side if you like them warm and crisp.

Step 9: Cool any leftover pork within 2 hours and keep it in the fridge for up to 3 days; reheat until piping hot.