Hey all, one of my favourite meats is pork belly but cant see much on here in terms of recipes.
Heres my contribution, its pretty fancy looking but really quite easy to do! (Bonus within the recipe is that you get a bonus rack of ribs to eat for another day!)
Crispy Pork Belly, Roasted Cauliflower Puree, Garlic Fondants, Pickled Cauliflower, Ribbons and Butter Glazed Asparagus, Fresh Orange and a Cider Jus.
That sounds good. So for this recipe you want/need bone in pork belly? Skin off?
I’m the only one in my home interested in eating pork belly, so that’s always a fun sucker.
I love the fondants idea, and the cauliflower parts. Hard to imagine asparagus at the same same time as cauliflower here.
Very nice way to cook pork belly, nice crispy skin! Like the orange touch as well served with the meat juice! Although from the initial video preview photo, I thought I was seeing scallops. 
Thanks for sharing.
I can definately see what you mean but the asparagus/cauli combo only works as the cauli doesnt taste like boiled cauli! When roasted and pureed/pickled it compliments the asparagus well. Bone in pork is not 100% necessary but the bones are needed for the collagen/gelatine extraction to produce a thickened sauce without a separate thickening agent and really adds to the mouthfeel of the sauce, also without them the sauce would not have the same colour so you may need to add some demi glace or espagnole
Haha, sorry to disappoint. Never tried it myself but I’m liking the sound of pork and scallops, not that i think they would necessarily work together, they are just 2 of my favourite things and i would be happy to order one meal and get both!
That being said, bacon and scallops is a match made in heaven so maybe you are on to something there… surf and turf anyone?
Roast “COCHINILLO” (WHOLE BABY SUCKLING PIGLET) is a Spanish specialty and the crisp skin is always a delight once a year during the Christmas Holidays.
My grandmothers and mom do an amazing job for Los Reyes Magi, (The 3 Kings) and Befana the witch, an Italian festive occasion on same day; known as the Ephiphany, 6th January …
Oh yes now we are talking, my parents live in Spain and we often make a trip there after the Christmas for the 3 kings celebration. We chuck a little piggy in the wood fired oven (not at full fire) at lunchtime ready for for dinner, about 5 hours cook and a good hour rest. Good load of slashes every inch or so through the skin, oil rub down, salt all over, wrap ears in foil fill cavity with loads of garlic bulbs, thyme, sage and rosemary and lob the sucker in.
There is nothing more satisfying than peeling that huge layer of crispy crackling back (and sneaking a fat piece) to reveal a huge load of juicy, juicy pork.
Now heres the million dollar question… do you pull the skull away from the neck and scoop out the soft cooked brain or do you let it go to waste?
What part of Spain do your parents reside in ?
I would have to ask my grandmothers and my mom …
Maybe they give it to the kit kats … I really do not know …
Due to the change in our dietary regimes, they only create a “suckling piglet” for my grandparents once a year.
We normally travel to Italia during the week of the 2nd to the 9th or 10th but due to Covid restrictions we cannot leave our “postal codes” except for professional reasons or medical or emergencies.
We prefer solomillo de buey (ecological) or steak tartare and / or a lobster or Arros caldoso con bogavante (ecological arborio rice with lobster, an Alicante specialty) …
This holiday season we shall stay home during holidays and eat out during the week in between these dates.
My parents live in Mazzaron, Murcia. Much like yourself, i dont think i will be making the trip this year.
Im with you on the fish in spain, being in england we have little fish available and so when we do go, often first port of call is the local fish market to get a big lump of tuna loin, a bag of prawns, a monkfish tail and always 1 new fish that i havent had before. It wasnt that long ago that prices were amazingly low but they seem to be creeping in recent years. Still though, well worth it for the fresh produce
The fish and the shellfish from the Mediterranean side of the country is quite exceptional and not farmed IF MARKED: “Capturado” = freshly caught and / or " Salvaje" ( wild) …
ONE OF THE BEST ROCK FISHES ( FRESH AND WILD) IS: URTA … IT IS A RED BANDED BREAM, LARGE AND PREPARED IN OVEN ONLY FROM " ROTA - CÁDIZ" … It is to die and go to heaven for – the next time you head over to Murcia.
Murcia is known for its “calasparra” rice !!! Always wonderful with shellfish.
Alot of the shellfish (Portuguese and corner of Cádiz) or Brittany or Marseille area depending on climate; are exceptional during the Christmas holiday season however, prices go up at this time.
Well have a lovely holiday and stay well.
My lawyer lives part time in Murcia … On coast … The village begins with the letter “A” … however, I cannot recall at moment.
I like the JUMILLA WINE REGION (KNOWN FOR THEIR REDS = TINTOS) VERY MUCH. These wines and Evoo have come up quite a bit in the last couple of years.
There is a restaurant there that specialises in providing its guests with EVOO TASTINGS … THEY ARE INCLUDED WITH THE MENU OF DEGUSTATION.
THE CHEF is middle aged … he is a old timer … I have to look up his name. He owns olive groves and the restaurant is in a grove !!! Maybe your parents know this venue …
Have a lovely weekend.
Making this one
From this
After about 24 hours air dry in fridge. Another use for a fondue fork; pork belly skin piercing.
I’m waiting to see what the skin looks like when you’re done!
Oooo! Couldn’t hope for a better audience! Have you made this? I’m making three adjustments;
Slices
No bone
Kosher and not sea salt
Not sure if I have rice wine vinegar ( too late to get up…again), but have a bunch of vinegars. I know I have black, cider, and Mirin. I’m thinking cider based on Woks of Life on condiments.
Haven’t made but have picked up from chinatown. Cider or white vinegar of some sort - cider may add an unexpected (unwanted?) flavor but it’s probably just there to draw moisture, like the salt…
I would lay those ontop of cabbage rolls for added flavour.
I confess; I’m not familiar with cabbage rolls. Like these?
Similar yet, I’m not fussy on the tomato soup in there and don’t add egg to mine.
Pork and beef are the mixture that I use with dill and garlic, onion, parsley, s&p.
Either top it of with V-8 mixed with a couple of tablespoons of oil or even an herbed Spaghetti sauce (if you would prefer that flavour profile).
Or instead of the bacon, if you have good kielbassa (from a European Delicatessen) you can peel the casing off that and slice it into 4 the length of the rolled cabbage and tuck the Kielbassa inbetween each cabbage roll before baking.
Here’s a better base recipe from Natasha’s kitchen although I’ve never used ground turkey in my cabbage rolls.
Also one from Nadia G (Eta: just tap previous page to get the cabbage roll recipe at the top -not sure why it’s loading that way).
