Twice Cooked Pork Belly With An Onion Apple Velouté Food

TWICE-COOKED PORK BELLY WITH CIDER SAUCE

Steps:

• The day before you want to eat, lay the pork belly skinned-side down, season generously, scatter over the fennel seeds and crumble over 3 of the bay leaves. From the widest side, roll into a tight log and use some butcher's string to tie at regular intervals. (You could take some fennel seeds and bay to your butcher and ask them to do it for you.)
• Heat oven to 170C/150C fan/gas 3 1/2. Melt the butter in a large, shallow flameproof casserole dish or ovenproof sauté pan. Brown the pork all over (this will take a good 15 mins), then remove from the pan and add the vegetables and remaining bay leaves. Cook for about 10 mins until starting to colour. Nestle the pork among the veg. Pour over the cider and bring everything to a simmer, cover and cook in the oven for 2 hrs.
• When the pork is ready, leave to cool a bit, then remove the pork from the braise and chill. Strain the sauce into a jug and chill. Fish out the bay leaves and blitz the veg to a purée in a food processor. Tip into a bowl and chill.
• On the day, heat oven to 220C/ 200C fan/gas 8. Cut the pork into six rounds. Heat the oil in a large frying pan and fry the pork, then put in the oven for 20 mins, turning halfway through, until crispy. Meanwhile, remove the solidified fat from the top of the braising juices, simmer until syrupy and reheat the purée. Serve everything in the middle of the table or smear some of the purée across plate, sit a piece of pork on top next to a burnt butter cabbage wedge, a piece of potato cake and some crackling (see 'Goes well with', right). Pour over some of the sauce and serve.

TWICE-BAKED POTATOES WITH CRISPY PORK BELLY AND CHEDDAR CHEESE

Steps:

• For the potatoes: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Make a bed of salt on a quarter-sheet tray and place the potatoes on top. Bake until tender, about 1 hour. Slice the potatoes in half lengthwise, then hollow out the skins, scooping the flesh into a bowl. Add the cream, butter, egg yolks and cheese to the potato filling and mix thoroughly.
• For the pork belly: Meanwhile, turn the heat under a large stovetop pressure cooker to medium-high and add 2 tablespoons oil, along with the onions and garlic. Allow to sweat, about 3 minutes. Add the juniper, allspice, clove, mustard seeds, peppercorns and bay leaves and stir to combine. Pour in the beer and stir in the soy sauce and brown sugar. Bring to a simmer, then gently add the pork belly. Carefully secure the pressure cooker lid and bring to high pressure over medium-high heat. Cook at pressure for as long as it takes for the potatoes to cook, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Turn off the heat and carefully run the pressure cooker under cold water until cool enough to open. Open and remove the pork.
• Preheat a deep-fryer or a large Dutch oven with oil to 350 degrees F.
• Set aside some of the pork pieces for garnish, glazing with what is left in the pressure cooker. Fry the pieces in batches until crispy, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Chop the crispy fried pork into chunks, then fold them into the potato mixture. Spoon the potato mixture into the potato skins and bake until crispy and browned, about 15 minutes. Top each with any remaining pork belly pieces and green onions.

TWICE-COOKED PORK

Steps:

• Place pork, 6 scallions, ginger and salt in large pot. Add water to cover. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until tender. Remove meat, and discard liquid. When pork has cooled, remove skin and any bones. Cut meat in half crosswise, then slice it thinly lengthwise.
• Slice remaining scallions lengthwise, then in 3-inch pieces.
• Heat oil in wok or skillet. When very hot, add pork and stir-fry until lightly browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Pour off excess oil and fat. Add garlic and ginger, and stir-fry 10 seconds. Add scallions, and stir-fry 2 minutes. Add chili paste, rice wine, soy sauce, sugar and Sichuan pepper, and stir-fry another minute. Scatter with cilantro and serve.