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PORK BELLY, ONIONS & PEAS

1 hour, plus 48 hours Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

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  • 1kg pork belly, boneless

  • salt

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Shallots

  • 400g shallots

  • 50g of butter

  • 1 pinch of salt

  • 1 tbsp of Dijon mustard

  • 100ml of white wine vinegar

  • 100ml of sunflower oil

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Salad Onions

  • 1 bunch of salad onions

  • 25ml of water

  • 125g of salted butter

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Echalion  Rings

  • 1 echalion shallot, peeled

  • Panko breadcrumbs

  • 1 egg, beaten

  • flour

  • sunflower oil, for deep-frying

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Pea Tartare

  • 150g of peas

  • 1 banana shallot, brunoise

  • 1 tbsp gherkins, brunoise

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METHOD

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  1. Lightly cover the flesh side of the pork belly in a generous layer of salt and leave in the fridge for 24 hours.

  2. The next day, preheat a water bath to 75°C

  3. Meanwhile remove the pork belly from the fridge and wash in cold water. Dry thoroughly and place into a vacuum bag and seal. Cook for in the water bath for 12 hours.

  4. Remove the pork belly from the bag and sandwich between two sheets of grease proof paper and place in a tray. Put another tray on top big enough to cover the belly, and place weights on top. Press in the fridge for a further 12 hours to set

  5. Whisk together the mustard, vinegar and sunflower oil to make the Dijon dressing

  6. Pre-heat a grill to high. Cut the shallots  in half and  place in a vacuum bag with a knob of butter and a pinch of salt and seal tightly in a vacuum chamber. Place in the microwave on full power for 3 minutes depending on size of the onions. Remove from the bag and place on a tray cut side up and put under the grill to char.

  7. Preheat a deep-fryer to 180°C

  8. Slice the banana shallot in to 3-4mm rings. Dip the rings in flour, followed by the beaten egg and finally into the breadcrumbs. Fry in the deep-fryer until golden brown and crispy should take around 30-40 seconds.

  9. To cook the salad onions, place the water in a pan with the butter and bring to the boil to make an emulsion. Cook the salad onions in this emulsion for 2–3 minutes

  10. Mix the peas with some of the sliced shallot, gherkins and dressing

  11. Cut the pork belly into thick slices and remove the skin. Pan-fry in oil until nicely caramelised ensuring it is heated through

  12. Peel the echalion shallots into layers and drop into the emulsion at the last minute to heat through

  13. To serve, place a slice of pork onto the centre of each plate and arrange the pea tartare, salad onions and echalion shallots around. Finish with the shallot rings

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TIP: Deep-fry the left over pork skin to make crispy crackling.