Notes: This is a very rich, delicious dish, so you really don’t need to eat too much. Don’t be afraid of pork bellies; they are what bacon is made from and taste like the ultimate fresh bacon. You’ll likely have to preorder it from your meat market; ask for 2 to 3 pounds of skin on fresh pork bellies.
Any leftovers can be turned into a wonderful soup. Just place all of the chopped-up ingredients in a saucepan and cover with chicken stock; simmer for about 20 minutes, then serve with crusty bread.
Look for star anise and juniper berries in most grocery stores, in the spice aisle.
Ingredients: Brine:
3/4 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups salt
6 juniper berries
3 whole star anise
6 black peppercorns
2 bay leaves
7 cups water
Braising:
1 small onion, peeled and chopped
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
3 celery stalks chopped
3 sprigs fresh thyme
3 cups dry white wine
2 cups water
Cabbage and apples (serves 20):
4 apples fuji, gala finely sliced
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 head savoy cabbage, finely sliced, all tough stalk removed
2 cups reserved braising liquid
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
Salt and pepper
Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
Instructions:
1. Place all brine ingredients in a large pan and bring to a boil; stir until sugar and salt dissolve completely. Remove from heat; cool.
2. Add pork bellies to brine and leave for three days in the refrigerator. After three days, remove pork bellies from brine and rinse. (Discard brine.) Score skins in a 1/4-inch diagonal pattern.
3. Preheat oven to 350º. Place onion, carrot, celery, thyme, wine, and 2 cups water in a large roasting pan. Place bellies on top. Cover with foil and cook for 2 1/2 hours or until soft to the touch. When done, remove meat and cool. Strain cooking liquid and reserve (discard solids). You might have a little more than you need, but it makes great stock.
4. Toss sliced apples with a little lemon juice to prevent browning. In a large saucepan over medium heat, add oil and butter until melted. Add apples and cabbage and sauté until slightly wilted, about 2 minutes. Add braising liquid and vinegar plus salt and pepper to taste. (Be careful with the salt; the cooking liquid could be a bit salty already.) Simmer until cabbage and apples are cooked tender, then check seasoning and adjust to taste.
5. To serve, brown pork belly slices in a hot pan. Place hot cabbage and apples in the bottom of a bowl; place pork slices on top. Drizzle with a little extra-virgin olive oil and sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley.
[an error occurred while processing this directive]
