Refresh
    Pork Belly with Winter Vegetables

    This recipe is a bit of a lush Sunday one between Christmas day and the New Year's day. It is not too demanding but it does involve care and patience. However it does give you ample time to sit down while the Pork Belly is cooking or join the Friends or Guests if doing a little get together Party. The Pork Belly is rendered crisp but also tender. It can be a sight to cut upon a Dinner table and share.

      

    Putting it all Together
    Pork Belly with Winter Vegetables
    Timing
    • Preptime: 15-20 minutes. Assemblage.
    • Cooktime: 1 hour and a half to 2 hours
    • Servings: 4 portions
    Ingredients

    A decent size Pork Belly.

    Brussels Sprouts 500g to 750g. Cut in halves.

    One large White or Red Onion sliced.

    Two sliced Leeks.

    Two crushed Garlic Cloves.

    Potatoes, 750g to 1 kg. sliced.

    Cider 250 ml.

    Vegetable Stock 100 ml.

    Cornflower 1tbsp.

    Seasoning: Cracked Black Peppercorns and Sea Salt.

    Mixed Herbs (to your liking) either fresh or dried.

     

    Steps

    First you need to make sure that your belly of Pork is at room temperature, hence properly defrosted. 

    Second the top of the Meat need to be scored with a sharp knife. But if you do it make sure it goes as deep as skin and fat but not further. The actual flesh of the Pork must be left intact.

    Sprinkle some Sea Salt upon the Meat Skin, on top and within the grooves. It will help to remove some moisture out of the Belly of Pork. But it will also help to get a crisp skin well rendered.

    Put the Pork aside to dry a little for 15 to 30 minutes. Warm up the oven at gas mark 5.

    Meanwhile do the preparation for the dish: the chopping.

    Boil a pan of water with a vegetable stock cube.

    Peel the Potatoes and put them in the water for ten minutes.

    Meanwhile prepare the Brussels Sprouts by cutting them into half. Get rid of the hard botton bits and the unsightly leaves.

    Chop the Leeks.

    Peel and slice the Onions.

    Prepare a deep Baking tray with a healthy knob of Salted Butter and a drizzle of Olive Oil.

    Put the Leeks, Onions and Brussels Sprout within the Baking tray.

    Add a couple of chopped Garlic cloves in the tray.

    Drain the part boiled Potatoes and slice them up then add them to the tray.

    Season well then place a grid upon the Baking tray.

    Position your Belly of Pork upon the grid and season it.

    Put in the oven for half an hour at high temperature this will start off the crisping up of the Pork skin.

    Take the Baking tray out the oven. Check that the Pork Belly's skin is nicely rendered.

    Put the Mixed Herbs upon the Vegetables. Prepare the quick Veg stock and put it on the Veg.

    Add the Cider if using.

    Return the Tray and the Pork in the oven.

    Then reduce the temperature of the oven down (gas mark 2 or 3) for a gentle slow cooking of the Meat.

    Prepare a Cider and Onion Gravy.

    When everything is ready, Meat cooked and Vegetables are done. It is time to plate everything. You can put the roasted Belly of Pork to rest a little while preparing the presentation of the Veg in a nice dish or bowl then putting the sauce in a gravy boat and then bringing the piéce de réstistance, the Belly of Pork to the table.

    The rest is just to enjoy the Dinner.

     

     

     

     

      

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