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SLOW ROASTED SPICE PORK BELLY WITH BRAISED LENTILS

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Serves: 6

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So easy, so good. You just need to allow some time for the cooking, but the putting together is so simple. Also so rich.

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Ingredients

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For the pork belly

  • 1.5 kilograms pork belly (thick end, rind scored)
  • 1 tablespoon fresh coriander
  • 1 tablespoon fennel seeds
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil (give or take)

For the lentils

  • 1 onion (finely chopped)
  • 1 carrot (finely chopped)
  • 2 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil (maybe more)
  • 300 grams green lentils (small)
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 500 ml tomato passata
  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 125 ml fresh flatleaf parsley (finely chopped)

Method

Pork

  1. Crush spices, salt and oil together in mortar and pestle (or however you like). Smear paste over pork (all over, rind and underside) and seal in plastic bag or cover on a plate and put in fridge for at least an hour. (Do not suggest putting in a bag to rub the paste on - its not that runny and you don't want too much oil on your already fatty pork belly.)
  2. Heat oven to 230-240C and put in pork to crisp up crackling for half an hour. Then reduce heat to 170C, pour in half a cup of water and cook for another 2hrs - or is falling apart tender. Slice thickly to serve; I recommend on a bed of lentils as below.

Lentils

  1. Put chopped carrot, onion and garlic in heavy bottom pan with oil. Cook over low to moderate heat until soft and onion translucent (about 10mins).
  2. Throw in lentils, bay leaves, passata/stock plus another cup of water and simmer slowly for 35-45mins until lentils are tender, not falling apart. You will need to stir periodically and also check for liquid - may need to add more.
  3. When cooked and you are ready to serve stir in the red wine vinegar and the parsley off the heat. If you've pre-done the lentils, and they've been sitting on the stove for a while waiting for the pork to finish (or someone to get home), they are very forgiving and will take a reheat, and are also lovely room temp.

On the weekend I am going to stir some feta cheese through the lentil leftovers for a lovely salad, maybe with some rocket or baby spinach (if I can get it).

*When I make this I inevitably end up adding more fennel as the local fennel seed I buy is not very strong. Make sure to test the spice rub before applying to ensure it is both balanced and strong enough.

**I haven't made the beef stock version, so can't vouch for its deliciousness, but the veg version of this is fantastic. The beef stock is what the original recipe from the Australian Gourmet Traveller suggested, but I am not a fan so used the tomato passata instead.

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