Pork belly is the cut of meat that is responsible for giving us such wonderful things as bacon and pancetta. Good belly has close to a 50/50 ratio of fat to meat, which means that it is probably the most flavor-packed piece of pork one could eat. Aside from curing and/or smoking pork belly, I love to confit it. Confit refers to the method of cooking something in fat. In this case pork fat or lard. I used pastured pork and lard for this dish which ups the cost significantly but is well worth it.
I rubbed the belly liberally with salt and allowed it to marinate in it's own juices for a few hours. After rinsing it off the belly was submerged in pork lard and slow-cooked at 250 degrees for 6 hours. Once cooled the skin was removed and the belly was tightly wrapped in plastic and foil. I used the skin and some of the trim from the belly to make the jus. I cut the belly into small cubes and seared them in pork fat, resulting in an incredibly crisp exterior and a meltingly tender interior.
The roma beans were blanched in salted water and then shocked in ice water. The lima beans were slow-cooked for about 5 hours in stock with onions, garlic and "herbs de provence". The beans were sauteed in pork fat right before being served.
The cauliflower puree was made by poaching the florets before blending them with butter, cream, salt and pepper. The butter lettuce was dipped in a thick dressing made with white balsamic vinegar and creme fraiche. The plate is also garnished with some fresh thyme.
Product:
Pasture-Raised Pork Belly - Stryker Farms
Organic Roma Beans - Culton Organics
Organic Butter Lettuce - 3 Springs Farm
Organic Cauliflower - Culton Organics
Organic Thyme - Weaver's Way
Lima Beans - Margerum
I rubbed the belly liberally with salt and allowed it to marinate in it's own juices for a few hours. After rinsing it off the belly was submerged in pork lard and slow-cooked at 250 degrees for 6 hours. Once cooled the skin was removed and the belly was tightly wrapped in plastic and foil. I used the skin and some of the trim from the belly to make the jus. I cut the belly into small cubes and seared them in pork fat, resulting in an incredibly crisp exterior and a meltingly tender interior.
The roma beans were blanched in salted water and then shocked in ice water. The lima beans were slow-cooked for about 5 hours in stock with onions, garlic and "herbs de provence". The beans were sauteed in pork fat right before being served.
The cauliflower puree was made by poaching the florets before blending them with butter, cream, salt and pepper. The butter lettuce was dipped in a thick dressing made with white balsamic vinegar and creme fraiche. The plate is also garnished with some fresh thyme.
Product:
Pasture-Raised Pork Belly - Stryker Farms
Organic Roma Beans - Culton Organics
Organic Butter Lettuce - 3 Springs Farm
Organic Cauliflower - Culton Organics
Organic Thyme - Weaver's Way
Lima Beans - Margerum