A la grecque pork belly with roasted vegetables
A la grecque pork belly with roasted vegetables
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A la grecque pork belly with roasted vegetables
Υλικά
- 3 kg boneless pork belly (skinless)
- 1 celeriac, quartered
- 2 onions, halved
- 2 whole heads of garlic, halved
- 1 fennel bulb, quartered
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 5–6 sprigs fresh thyme
- 80 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 40 g butter
- 1 tbsp mustard
- ½ tsp wine vinegar
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Spice Rub
- 2 tsp fennel seeds
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp ground coriander
- 1½ tsp whole black peppercorns
- ½ tsp whole white peppercorns
- 2 tsp ground cardamom
- 1 star anise
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- 2 tsp fleur de sel
For the Roasted Vegetables
- 500 g potatoes
- 2 fennel bulbs
- 3–4 carrots
- 1 leek (white part only)
- 1 onion
- 5–6 garlic cloves
Εκτέλεση
Preparing the Spice Rub
Place the fennel seeds, cumin, coriander, black and white peppercorns, star anise, cardamom, bay leaves, fleur de sel and oregano in a mortar.
Grind everything thoroughly with the pestle until the spices are well combined, fragrant and form a uniform spice mixture.
Score the skin of the pork belly, season it lightly with salt and freshly ground black pepper, then rub the spice mixture all over the meat, gently massaging it into the surface. Repeat on the opposite side.
First Roast
Place the onion halves, celeriac, fennel bulb, the halved heads of garlic, rosemary and thyme in a deep roasting tray.
Lay the pork belly on top of the vegetables, drizzle with the olive oil and add about 250 ml of water to the bottom of the tray to help the vegetables cook and create the base for the gravy.
Bake in a preheated oven at 160°C for approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes.
Preparing the Vegetables
Peel the potatoes and cut them into large chunks. Slice the onion, carrots, fennel bulbs and leek.
Transfer all the vegetables to a roasting tray, add the garlic cloves, season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and toss well.
Second Roast
After the first roasting stage, remove the pork belly from the tray and place it on a wire rack positioned above the vegetables.
This allows the juices from the pork belly to drip over the vegetables during cooking, enriching them with flavor and aroma.
Drizzle the pork belly with a little more olive oil and continue roasting for another 1 hour and 30 minutes, until the skin becomes crispy and caramelized while the meat remains juicy and tender.
Preparing the Gravy
Remove the pork belly from the tray and reserve the roasted vegetables together with all the cooking juices.
Using a ladle, gently press the vegetables to release all their flavor into the juices.
Strain the contents of the tray, keeping only the liquid. Skim off any excess fat from the surface and transfer the gravy to a small saucepan.
Simmer until the gravy has reduced by about half, thickened slightly and developed a smooth, velvety texture.
Add the mustard, wine vinegar and butter, stirring until the butter has completely melted and is fully incorporated into the gravy. Continue cooking for a few more minutes until the flavors are well combined.
Serving
Slice the pork belly into portions and serve with the roasted vegetables.
Finish with the rich homemade gravy made from the roasting juices and enjoy a dish with crispy skin, succulent meat and deep, comforting flavors.
