Great Garnetts Farm Belly Of Pork Recipe

Prepare and cure

Score the pork skin in 1 cm cross-hatch increments, taking care not to cut into the meat. Rub 15 g of sea salt and the black pepper into the meat side; reserve the remaining salt for the skin step. Place the pork on a tray uncovered in the fridge for 4 hours (or up to overnight) to dry the skin—this helps crisping.

Roast slowly then crackle

Preheat oven to 150°C (300°F). Heat an ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat and add olive oil. Sear the meat side of the pork belly for 3–4 minutes until golden; do not sear the skin. Place crushed garlic and thyme under the pork, transfer to the oven and roast at 150°C for 2 hours to render fat and tenderize. After 2 hours, increase oven temperature to 220°C (430°F). Pat the skin dry with paper towels, rub the remaining 10 g sea salt into the skin (focusing on salt getting into the score lines), then roast for a further 25–35 minutes until the crackling is puffed and crisp. Rest the pork for 15 minutes covered loosely with foil before slicing.

Cook and mash potatoes

Place potato chunks in a large saucepan, cover with cold salted water, bring to a boil and simmer until tender, about 15–18 minutes. Drain well and return to the hot pan to steam-dry for 1–2 minutes. Add butter and cream, mash to a rough, slightly stiff texture. Season with 5 g salt and 1 tsp pepper. Allow to cool slightly.

Combine and form cakes

Fold the chopped samphire (reserve a few whole sprigs for garnish if desired) into the mashed potatoes. Stir in the beaten egg and the flour until a mash that holds together but is not sticky is formed. If too loose, add up to 1–2 tbs extra flour. Using your hands or a spoon, form 8 even cakes (about 8–10 cm diameter and 1–1.5 cm thick). Chill in the fridge for 15 minutes to firm up.

Pan-fry

Heat rapeseed oil in a non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Fry the cakes 3–4 minutes per side until golden and crisp. Transfer to a warm oven (kept at 80–90°C) if making ahead.

In a bowl whisk together lemon juice, olive oil, honey, salt and black pepper. Toss the julienned carrots and sliced spring onions in the dressing until evenly coated. Let sit for 5 minutes to soften slightly but retain crunch. Adjust seasoning to taste.

Sweat shallot

In a saucepan over medium heat, warm 1 tsp olive oil. Add the minced shallot and crushed garlic and sweat gently for 2–3 minutes until translucent but not browned.

Deglaze and reduce

Add the red wine and brown sugar, bring to a brisk simmer and reduce by about two-thirds until slightly syrupy (this will take 12–18 minutes).

Finish sauce

Add the veal (or beef) stock and soy sauce, bring back to a simmer and reduce until the sauce coats the back of a spoon (another 8–10 minutes). Off the heat, whisk in the cold diced butter piece by piece to give a glossy finish. Stir in toasted sesame seeds, then season with salt and black pepper to taste. Keep warm.

Slice the rested pork belly into 2 cm thick pieces. Place a samphire potato cake on each plate, top with a slice of pork belly. Spoon 2–3 tbs of the sesame seed red wine jus around the cake and over the pork. Arrange a small portion of the carrot & spring onion salad beside the cake. Finish with a scattering of micro herbs and extra toasted sesame seeds. Serve immediately.

Serves 4. Estimated plating per person: 2 tbs jus, one potato cake, one slice of pork belly, 50 g salad.