Here at Better Reading we’re huge fans of the great Aussie food mag delicious. daily and this recipe shows exactly why. The mag has a well-documented history of providing Australian kitchens with some of the nation’s most iconic dishes, and for fusing modern with more nostalgic tastes. If you haven’t already, update your weekly recipe rotation now, and try some of these simple hacks to make every-day cooking quicker, easier, and more delicious.
This crispy, sweet, caramelised pork belly is divine. Just wait until you see the crackling! Pairing it with a guilt-free green salad of snow peas and runner beans, makes this well-balanced meal a delicious addition to your family’s meat and veg repertoire. With caramelised eschalots adding to the sticky, sweet feel of this dish, you just chuck everything in the oven and forget about it for a couple of hours. Let delicious. daily do what it does best, and sit back and watch the gastronomic magic unfold.
Caramelised pork belly with sweet pea salad
Serves 6-8
Begin this recipe 1 day ahead
Just when you thought crackling couldn’t get any better… brushing the skin with maple syrup right at the end of cooking gives this pork a sticky, crunchy caramelised finish.
1.8kg piece boneless pork belly, skin on
2 tbs fennel seeds
4 garlic cloves
1 bunch thyme, leaves picked
2 tbs olive oil
10 eschalots, peeled
1/2 cup (125ml) chicken stock
1/2 cup (125ml) maple syrup
3 cups (360g) frozen peas, blanched, refreshed
200g runner beans, blanched, refreshed
1 cup loosely packed snow pea tendrils
Using a sharp knife, score the pork belly skin at 1cm intervals without cutting into the meat. Place pork on a rack set over a roasting pan and pour over 2 cups (500ml) boiling water to open the incisions. Pat dry with paper towel and discard water.
To make the marinade, heat a frypan over high heat. Add fennel seeds and toast for 1-2 minutes or until fragrant. Using a mortar and pestle, pound toasted seeds, garlic, 1/4 cup thyme leaves and oil to a coarse paste. Rub mixture into pork flesh only, then place pork, skin-side up, on a baking tray. Chill, uncovered, overnight.
Remove pork from fridge to come to room temperature. Preheat the oven to 220°C. Grease a large roasting pan. Arrange the eschalots and remaining thyme in prepared pan. Add pork, skin-side up, and rub 2 tsp salt flakes into the skin. Roast for 1 hour or until the skin is beginning to crisp.
Reduce oven to 160°C. Add stock to pan and roast for a further 1 hour 45 minutes or until meat is cooked through and crackling is crisp and golden. Remove from oven and brush with maple syrup. Return to oven for a further 10 minutes or until lightly caramelised.
Remove pork from pan and set aside for 15 minutes to rest. When ready to serve, toss peas, beans and snow pea tendrils with hot cooking juices. Carve pork and serve with pea salad and roasted eschalots.
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