Sticky Glazed Pork Belly with Puy Lentils

, from Issue #79. July, 2018
Photography by Josh Griggs.
Sticky Glazed Pork Belly with Puy Lentils

Pork belly is perfect for long, slow cooking and pairs beautifully with the slightly peppery, slate-green puy lentils. We served our pork with flash-fried green beans.

Serves: 4

INGREDIENTS

1.2-kilogram piece skin-off pork belly
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, sliced
2 sticks celery, sliced
2 carrots, peeled, diced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tablespoons thyme leaves
2 teaspoons whole fennel seeds
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
2 cups chicken stock
½ cup puy lentils, rinsed
1 tablespoon honey, warmed
1 tablespoon grain mustard
handful parsley, chopped
sea salt and ground pepper

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 160°C fan bake.

Cut the pork belly, against the grain, into 8 slices. Season with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large sauté pan and when hot, brown the pork on all sides. Transfer to a plate. Add all the vegetables, garlic, thyme and fennel seeds with a good pinch of salt to the pan. Cover and cook for 10 minutes. Stir in the mustard and vinegar, then the chicken stock and bring to the boil.

Tip into a wide, shallow roasting tray and place the pork slices on top. Cover with a piece of baking paper then foil and seal tightly.

Cook for 1 hour. Uncover and transfer the pork slices to a plate. Stir the lentils into the vegetables, distributing them evenly.

Return the pork to the pan, cover again and bake for a further 1 hour. Uncover and brush the tops of the pork with the combined honey and mustard and place back in the oven for 10 minutes to glaze the tops.

Scatter over the parsley to serve. Serves 4.