INGREDIENTS
METHOD
• 500g Gloucester old spot pork belly, bones removed
PORK BELLY
• 2 red chillies, split in half lengthways • 100g root ginger, peeled and sliced • 4 garlic cloves, sliced • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper For the garnish • 6 tablespoons spicy miso* • 1 tablespoon finely diced red chilli, deseeded • 1 tablespoon finely chopped chives or spring onion • 1 tablespoon finely diced red onion *For the Spicy Miso sauce • 100ml sake • 100ml mirin • 150g red miso paste • 150g white miso paste • 150g granulated sugar • ½ teaspoon shichimi togarashi (available from Asian supermarkets) • 2 tablespoons chilli oil • 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil • 100ml water
NOTES
You can of course use pork belly from any breed of pig for this dish.
1 | Using a very sharp knife, carefully remove the skin from the pork belly, keeping as much fat as possible attached to the meat. 2 | Place the belly in a flat, shallow heavy-based pan just large enough for it to sit snugly on the bottom. Add the chillies, ginger and garlic and season with salt and pepper. Add just enough water to cover the belly and place a plate on top to keep the belly submersed in the liquid, then cover with the lid. 3 | Place over a high heat and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to a bare simmer and cook for one hour (check from time to time that the pork belly is always immersed in the stock and top up with more water if necessary). Remove from the heat and allow the belly to cool in the stock, then refrigerate overnight. 4 | Remove the pork belly from the stock, drain and pat dry with kitchen paper. Then cut it into strips about 2cm wide. 5 | Place a non-stick frying pan over high heat and fry the pork belly strips on all sides until uniformly golden brown and crisp, adjusting the heat where necessary during cooking. Drain on kitchen paper. 6 | While the meat is still hot, place the strips on a clean chopping board and cut in to bite-sized cubes. 7 | Spoon half the spicy miso on the bottom of a suitable serving dish and arrange the pork belly pieces on top of the sauce. Spoon the remaining sauce over the top of the belly. Mix the finely chopped chilli, chives and red onion together and sprinkle on the top of each piece of pork. SPICY MISO SAUCE 1 | Put the sake and mirin in a non-reactive saucepan and bring to the boil to evaporate off the alcohol. 2 | Lower the heat to a medium and add the miso pastes, a little at a time, to blend to a smooth sauce. 3 | Turn up the heat and add the sugar in 2 or 3 lots, continuing to stir so the mixture does not burn. When the sugar has completely dissolved, remove from the heat and allow to cool to room temperature. 4 | When cool, whisk in the shichimi, chilli oil, sesame oil and water just before using. This will keep in the fridge for up to 3 months. Serves 4 theaddressmagazine.com