Crispy pork belly with langoustines, baby rainbow carrots, langoustine and aniseed jus
Ingredients
1pc pork belly
1 cup salt
200ml red wine
2tbsps brown sugar
2 cloves garlic, minced
200g carrots
200g onions
100g celery
20g sage
1kg langoustines
0.5kg baby rainbow carrots
100ml white wine
1. Using a paper towel, pat skin of pork belly until it is completely dry. Cut the vegetables into mirepoix and put into a deep tray. Add the wine and sage.
2. Preheat oven to 180˚C. Pour one inch of water into bottom of pan. Place wire rack on top of roasting pan to hold the pork belly. Place the pork belly on the wire rack. The pork belly will cook above the water, with the pork drippings dripping down below into the water. Make sure the pork belly is level (if one part is lower/shorter the skin will not cook evenly. Spread 1 cup of salt evenly across the pork belly skin. Place into top half of oven. Bake for about 120 minutes until meat looks cooked.
3. Remove pork belly and increase oven temperature to 240˚C. The salt should have formed a crust which you should now remove. Once oven has reached desired temperature, place pork belly back into oven. Bake for another 30 minutes until skin is completely bubbly and crisp. Let pork belly cool a few minutes before cutting and serving.
Hay-baked red snapper, fermented baby beetroot, asparagus and broccoli rabe
Ingredients
1 pc red snapper
A few sprigs of hay
1 bunch asparagus
1 bunche broccoli rabe
1tbsp good olive oil
1 large garlic clove, sliced
2tsps kosher salt
1/2tsp freshly ground black pepper
Fillet the fish and pin bone. Portion into four pieces. In an oven-proof tray place the hay and little water and heat up for five minutes until the water is evaporated. Place the fish onto the hay and season with salt and pepper. Drizzle with olive oil. Bake for six minutes, gas mark 6.
Cut off and discard the tough ends of the broccoli rabe and cut the rest into two-inch pieces. Place the broccoli and asparagus in a colander and rinse. Drain well.
Heat the olive oil in a large pot. Add the garlic and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, for four to six minutes until golden brown. Remove the garlic with a slotted spoon and set aside.
Add the broccoli and asparagus to the hot oil. Add salt and pepper and cook, covered, over medium to low heat for five to 10 minutes, turning occasionally with tongs, until the stalks are tender but still al dente.
Add the reserved garlic, check the seasonings and serve hot.
Fermented beetroot
Ingredients
4 or 5 small beets
1½ tsps cumin seeds
1tbsp salt
250ml water
2pc basil leaves
Slice the beets in half. Put the cumin seeds in the bottom of two pint jars and stack the beets on top. Mix the salt into the water until dissolved, then pour brine into jars until beets are just covered. Submerge your beetroot with a vessel, like another jar that fits inside, and cover these. Place jars on a small plate and allow to ferment at room temperature for one to two weeks. Once you’re happy with the flavour and acidity, remove the weights and pack basil into each jar. Put lid on and refrigerate. After two days remove the basil (or it will spoil).