Brined pork belly

This recipe brings together two of my loves: curing meat for greater results, and salsa Verde! Tom Kerridge used belly pork in his recipe (from Proper Pub Food) but I fancied trying it with some loin. It lent the meaty part a real juiciness, but the tail was indeed the best bit, so perhaps it is best applied to belly after all. The three components of the dish work together brilliantly.

Step 1 - Brining

• The day before cooking (ideally around 24 hours) start the brining. Mix the brine ingredients in 1 litre of water in a saucepan on a high heat. Bring to a boil to dissolve all ingredients and then cool to room temperature

• In a non-metallic container place the pork and pour the brine over the top. Cover the container and chill overnight

 

Step 2 - Pork

• While preheating the oven to 150 C remove the pork and pat dry

• Roast the pork for 3 hours in the oven on a wire rack

• When it is golden and crispy remove and leave to rest for 45 minutes

Step 3 - Lentils

• While the pork is roasting, prepare the rest

• Heat the oil in a deep pan over a medium heat and add the bacon, frying until crispy

• Add the onion, reduce the heat and cook until soft.

• Stir in the herbs and lentils, stirring for two more minutes before adding the white wine and leaving to simmer for 30 minutes until the lentils are soft

Step 4 - Salsa

• While the pork is resting, prepare the salsa so it is fresh.

• Remove tough stalks from the cabbage and roughly chop the leaves
  Top tip: big pieces are easier to retrieve with a slotted spoon

• Bring a large pan of water to the boil. While it is heating prepare a similar sized bowl of iced water

• Add the cabbage to the boiling water and blanch for 2 minutes

• Remove the cabbage quickly with a slotted spoon and plunge into the ice water

• Repeat for the parsley leaves and then the mint leaves each for 1 minute

• With all the leaves in the ice water, drain through a sieve and squeeze dry

• On a big chopping board mix and chop together the mixed leaves, capers, anchovies and garlic

• Transfer the mix to a bowl and stir in the shallot, salt and cayenne then grate the zest of the lemon over the top

• Stir in the olive oil to desired consistency of salsa

• Serve alongside the carved pork and warm lentils

 

 Ingredients

• 200g salt

• 150g demerara sugar

• 1 tbsp black peppercorns

• 2 cloves

• 1 bay leaf

• 1 sprig fresh thyme

• 1 kg of pork loin (not rolled) or belly

• 4 tablespoons vegetable oil

• 70g streaky bacon finely chopped (ideally smoked)

• 1 onion, finely chopped

• 1 tbsp herbes de Provence

• 200g Puy lentils

• 175ml white wine

• 400ml chicken stock

• 50g black cabbage (such as cavolo nero)

• 25g parsley leaves

• 25g mint leaves

• 35g capers in brine, drained

• 2 salted anchovy fillets

• 2 garlic cloves

• 1 shallot, very finely chopped

• 1 tsp salt

• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

• 1 lemon

• 150ml olive oil (or to taste)