Pork Belly with Pickled Plums, Onions, Tarragon & Mint

Curing the Pork Belly:

2kg side of pork belly

3 onions, peeled and halved

For the Cure:

100g fine sea salt

100g caster sugar

25g ground cumin

25g smoked paprika

To cure the port belly, mix the salt, sugar, cumin and smoked paprika together in a bowl and sprinkle all over the meat, making sure it is evenly covered.  Wrap in cling film, place in container and leave to cure in the fridge for 12 hours.

 

Pickling the Plums:

4 large firm ripe plums

200ml white wine vinegar

200ml water

50g caster sugar

2 bay leaves

10 peppercorns

4 star anise

salt & pepper

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• For the pickled plums, quarter the plums and remove the stones, then place in a container(that will also take the pickling liquor).

• Put the wine vinegar,water,sugar,bay leaves, pepper or and star anise in a pan, heat dissolve the sugar and bring to a simmer. Pour the simmering pickling liquor over the plums to completely submerge them, cover and leave to pickle for 12 hours.

• When the pork is ready, preheat your oven to 180/Fan 160/Gas 4.

• Wash off the cure, then pat dry.  Place the halved onions in a large roasting tray, sit the pork belly on top and put into the oven. Roast for 1 hour, then turn the oven setting down to 120/Fan 110/Gas /2and cook for a further 2 hours. Once the pork belly is cooked, lift it onto another tray and leave to cool.

• Reserve the onions and 100ml of fat.

• Wipe out the roasting tray and place over a medium heat. Add the reserved onions and warm through, stirring a few times. Tip the onions into a food processor and blitz until smooth.

• When the meat has cooled slightly, cut off the crunchy rind with a small knife. put the pork belly in the fridge for 3-4 hours to firm up.

• To make the dressing pour half the plum pickling liquor into a pan and simmer until reduced and syrupy.season with salt & pepper.

• To serve heat a large non stick frying pan and add some of the reserved fat. When hot, add the pork belly skin side down and cook for 3 minutes until skin is caramelised, turn over and cook for another 3 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside to rest in a warm place.

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Garnish:

Olive oil for cooking 

12 Spring Onions

Mint leaves

Tarragon leaves

Mustard & cress

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• Heat up frying pan add a little oil. When hot, fry the spring onions until golden and beginning to soften, remove to a warm plate.

• To serve, cut the pork belly into 1cm slices, toss briefly in the hot pan, then arrange on 6 warmed plates.

• Add the pickled plums, spring onions and a dollop of puréed roasted onions. Scatter over the herbs and cress, and finish with a trickle of dressing.

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Thank you to Sue Roworth for this recipe.