Ingredients

Serves 4

Pork Belly

1.2 kg pork belly, rib cage removed
5 cloves garlic
3 sprigs rosemary, picked
2 sprigs lemon thyme, picked
2 tbsp table salt
120 ml lemon juice

 

Fennel Salad

1 large bulb fennel
½ bunch mint, picked
250 g toasted pumpkin seeds
½ tbsp chopped dill
¼ lemon, juiced
1tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Flaked sea salt to taste

 

Pomegranate and Grape Salad

1 pomegranate, seeds only
200 g red seedless grapes
120 ml pomegranate molasses
50 g toasted pine nuts
200 ml olive oil
¼ bunch of coriander chopped
Salt for seasoning

 

Method

Slow Roast Pork Belly
1. Place garlic, rosemary and thyme into mortar and pestle and bash to a puree.
2. Add to the mortar and pestle with half of the salt and bash all ingredients to a fine paste, then finish with lemon juice.
3. Place pork belly onto chopping board with the skin side facing up.
4. With a sharp Stanley knife score the pork belly in long lines all in the same direction about 2cm apart. This will help the skin to crisp when cooked and more importantly make it easier to eat and to portion.
5. Turn the belly over and rub the flesh side with the paste, using it all up.
6. Place pork into a roasting tray skin side up a rub the skin side with the rest of the salt and place water into the bottom of the tray.
7. Place into a pre-heated oven at 100°C for 8 hours. The pork should now be very soft.
8. Place a further 200 ml of water into the roasting tray.
9. Turn oven up to 250°C and roast for a further 20 minutes. At this stage the skin should be very crispy and the flesh like butter.


Fennel & Mint Salad
1. Using a sharp mandolin, shave the fennel very finely into a mixing bowl.
2. Add the chopped dill, mint and pumpkin seeds.
3. Toss with the lemon juice and olive oil and then season to taste.


Pomegranate and Grape Salad
1. Slice the grapes in half and place in a bowl.
2. Add the rest of the ingredients to the bowl.
3. Season to taste.
4. Allow to sit for at least two hours for flavours to develop.

 

To serve:
Place the belly skin side down on a chopping board and cut into 4 even squares.
Serve skin side up with pomegranate salad and shaved fennel salad.