by DIANE CAMP OF REYNOLDS DEVELOPMENT CHEF
8 Brix suckling belly of Pork cooked sous vide served with Bramley apple mash and a warm winter slaw
Ingredients (serves four)
Suckling belly pork
1kg suckling belly pork (whole belly/ribs removed and fat taken off)
4 tbsp 8 Brix verjus
50g carrots (fine dice)
50g onions (fine dice)
2 cloves of garlic (crushed)
2 sprigs of rosemary
4g fennel seeds (freshly ground using pestle and mortar)
2g Sel de Guerande (salt)
2g white Muntoc pepper (freshly ground)
For the crackling
4g Sel de Guerande (salt)
10ml rapeseed oil
Bramley apple mash ingredients
2 Bramley apples (scored around the middle of the apple and cored)
800g Mayan gold potatoes (peeled and diced)
80g salted butter
2g Sel de Guerande (salt)
2g white Muntoc pepper (freshly ground)
Winter slaw ingredients
ó Savoy cabbage (finely shredded)
1 medium carrot (fine julienne)
1 red onion (finely sliced)
ó fennel bulb (finely sliced)
1 tsp fennel seeds
2tbsp rapeseed oil
50g salted butter
2g Sel de Guerande (salt)
2g white Muntoc pepper (freshly ground)
Garnish
Bramley apple crisps
micro fennel cress
Method
Method for 8 Brix suckling belly of pork
1 Preheat a water bath to 80°C and an oven to 200°C.
2 Prepare the pork belly by boning out the ribs (roast these in an oven
till golden brown and then transfer to a pan ready for the juices to be
added) and removing all of the skin (reserve the skin for crackling).
Slice the Belly into two even pieces and place into one large sous
vide pouch with the carrots, onion, crushed garlic and rosemary.
3 Prepare the seasoning for the pork by combining the freshly ground
fennel seeds, salt, pepper and 8 Brix verjus and then pour into the
pouch along with the pork. Hold the bag tight and shake the
seasoning to ensure total coverage of the pork.
4 Vac pack the pork and place in the preheated water bath. Cook for 8
hours.
5 Meanwhile prepare the crackling by scoring the skin and place in a
colander. Pour boiling water over and drain completely before
transferring to a greased tray. Then rub salt into the skin, place
greaseproof on the top and place a weighted tray on top to keep it
flat. Refrigerate overnight to allow the skin to dry out.
6 When ready to cook, brush the skin with vegetable oil and replace the
greaseproof and tray to help the skin retain its flatness. Transfer to a
preheated oven and cook at 200°C for 8 minutes and then turn it
down to 180°C for 10 minutes. Remove and leave to cool.
7 After 8 hours carefully open the pouch and pour the juices and
vegetables into the pan with the roasted bones and reduce the jus by
1/3. Strain through fine chinois or muslin cloth and retain for service.
8 Take the two pieces of pork out and place one on top of the other on
a greaseproof lined tray. As with the crackling, place another piece of
greaseproof on top and a weighted tray to press the two pieces of
pork together. Then leave in the fridge overnight.
9 The next day when ready to serve, pre-portion the pressed belly pork
and reheat in a pan with a knob of butter and some more of the 8 Brix
verjus. For the crackling, cut into the same size shape as the portions
of belly pork, brush the crackling with some vegetable oil and reheat
under a grill or in a hot oven until well golden and at crackling stage.
Serve with the Bramley apple mash, warm winter slaw and finish with
the Bramley apple crisps and 8 Brix jus.
Method for Bramley apple mash
1 Preheat oven to 160°C and a steamer to 100°C.
2 Place the diced potatoes into a sous-vide pouch along with the butter
and seasoning and seal in a vac packer. Place the potatoes into a
steamer for 40 minutes.
3 Place the scored and cored Bramleys on a tray into the preheated
oven and cook for 25 minutes until apple is bursting through the
scored skin.
4 After the apple has cooled, remove the skin and place into a bowl
large enough for the potatoes to be added and mashed.
5 When potatoes are cooked (squeeze whilst still in the pouch to check
density), open the pouch and add the potatoes to the cooked apple,
then mash. For brilliantly smooth Bramley apple mash push the mash
through a sieve with a flexible spatula.
Method for warm winter slaw
1 Prepare vegetables ahead and cook to order to maintain maximum
freshness and colour.
2 Heat the oil in a large pan or wok and add all of the vegetables. Toss
the vegetables to ensure consistent cooking throughout the mix.
3 Add the butter, fennel seeds and seasoning and continue to toss until
the Savoy cabbage has softened but ensure that it has kept its
vibrant green colour.
Method for Bramley apple crisps
1 To prepare Bramley apple crisps slice the apple laterally using a
mandolin or slicing machine and lay on a greaseproof lined tray.
Brush with stock syrup/sugar solution and slow bake in an oven at
100°C for 2 hours or until golden and crisp
