<< Hurricane Ridge

06/09/13 - Pork Belly and Melon Salad

We don't have any pictures for this entry. As so often happens with Kaleberg food postings, getting a picture is a matter of photographic speed, that is, photographing the food before we eat it. In this case, the dish was long gone, but we promised Mrs. Clark that we'd post the recipe, so here goes:

INGREDIENTS

  • 3-4 lbs of pork belly (obviously, this can vary)
  • 4-6 whole star anise stars
  • lots of coriander seeds - 1/4 cup maybe
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce
  • 2-4 tbsp sherry
  • 6-8 whole allspice
  • 1-3 cups of fresh cilantro, mint, basil or some combination
  • 2-3 shallots (or, in a pinch, 6 scallions)
  • 1/2 cantelope, honeydew melon or even (less than 1/2) watermelon
  • 1 -3 thai bird chilis or fresh jalapeno, to taste
  • optionally 1/4 cup peanuts, 0-3 tbsp sriracha sauce
  • 1-2 tbsp nam pla
  • 1-2 tbsp sesame oil
  • 2-4 tbsp fresh lime juice (at least one lime's worth)
We're a bit vague on the quantities here. This dish has a lot of flexibility.		 INSTRUCTIONS
  1. Put the pork belly in a pot and add water to cover it. Add 2 star anise stars and 2-3 tbsp coriander seeds. Cover and bring it to a boil and let cook gently on the stove top or in the oven for 60 to 90 minutes. Let it cool in the liquid and refrigerate overnight.
  2. The next day, remove the pork belly from the cooking liquid and put it in a braising pan (e.g. a dutch oven) with a lid. Make a bath for it with sherry, 2 tbsp soy sauce, crushed allspice (not ground), 2 star anise stars and 2-3 tbsp coriander seeds. Bring to a boil on the stove top and put it in a 350F oven with the lid partially open for 3-6 hours. Cook until the liquid is cooked to a syrup and the fat has browned.
  3. Cut up the pork belly into crispy chunks and put it in a big salad bowl.
  4. Add the pork belly to the cilantro, mint, and/or basil.
  5. Clean and slice 1-2 shallots and add to the pork belly.
  6. Cut the melon into chunks and add to the pork belly.
  7. Clean and slice (finely) a jalapeno or a few Thai bird chiles and add them.
  8. If you wish add some peanuts, scallions, or sriracha sauce.
  9. Dress the salad with 2-3 tbsp nam pla, 2-3 tbsp sesame oil, and at least one lime worth of lime juice.

Keywords: recipe, kale