Pedigree Welsh Pork – Cheek, Belly and Loin

Method:

Crispy Belly Pork

– Remove the rib bone from the pork belly, and score the skin with a sharp knife. Rub both sides of the meat with oil and season well with salt and pepper.

–  In a deep roasting tray, put the onion, garlic, bay, rosemary and thyme at the base, lying the pork belly, skin side up, on top of the vegetables and aromatics. Pour the cider around the pork to come half way up the belly.

– Cover the tray with baking parchment and tightly with tin foil. Cook for 6-8 hours at 150°C.

– When the meat is cooked transfer to a flat tray, cover with another flat tray and weigh it down with (perhaps) a heavy cast iron pan. Leave to cool and refrigerate overnight to set.

– Strain the cooking liquid, and once cooled remove the fat and reserve for making the sauce.

– Cut the pork into single portions, then when ready to serve heat at 180°C till hot in the middle, before placing under a hot grill to crisp up the crackling.

Pork Sauce

– Sweat off some mirepoix, garlic, peppercorns and thyme in a saucepan with a little oil and salt. Add a little red wine, the reserved cooking liquor and chicken stock. Reduce by half over a high heat. Strain into a clean plan and keep warm. Whisk in some cold butter just before serving.

Crispy Pork Cheek

Stage 1

Singe any hair from the cheek with a blowtorch. Make a dry cure from the shallots, garlic, thyme, rosemary and rock salt. Rub all over the pork cheeks and leave overnight in a fridge.

Stage 2

Wipe off the salt and pat dry. Place the cheeks in a deep ovenproof dish and cover with the duck fat. Cook slowly in a 140°C oven until the cheek is tender (this can take 5-6 hours). Press in the same way as the belly pork.

Stage 3

– Once pressed, remove the fat and skin and cut into portion sized pieces.

– Roll these pieces in flour, then the beaten egg and finally the breadcrumbs. Knock off the excess at each stage. Deep fry the breaded cheeks in hot vegetable oil (180°C) when ready to serve.

Parsnip and celeriac purée

– Cook the celeriac, parsnip and potato separately in salted, boiling water.

– When tender purée each vegetable through a potato ricer, before passing through a fine sieve.

– When still hot, combine with the double cream and butter. Adjust the seasoning appropriately. Reheat when ready to serve the dish.

Cavolo Nero

– Tear the leaves from the stalks, wash and pat dry.

– Blanch in boiling, salted water and refresh in iced water.

– Cook the onion and aromats gently in olive oil. When ready to serve, add the blanched cavolo to the pan to warm through. Adjust seasoning.

Confit Shallots

– Layer the shallots cut side down in a deep pan and cover with olive oil. Cook in a low oven until the shallots are tender and remove the skins carefully.

Loin of Pork

– Divide the pork loin into finger thick slices and season.

– Cook each piece on a hot iron griddle pan with a little oil and butter (if you place a skewer through to the middle of the loin for 10 seconds, it should feel warm to the touch for medium rare)

You can transfer the loin to a preheated oven if the skin is getting too dark before being properly cooked through.