Crisp Pork Belly with Sweet and Sour Endive
The beauty of this recipe is its simplicity: pork and endive. The key is to not disturb the pork in the pan. Yes, it will stick. Let it; it’ll unstick later and you’ll have the satisfying crispness you were after. The endive, roasted first with smoked bacon, vinegar, and caraway seeds, serve almost as a condiment.
Recipe information
Yield
makes 4 sandwiches
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Step 2
Season the meat with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium heat. When the oil slides easily across the pan, add the meat, skin side down. Cook for about 15 minutes, until the skin is browned. Transfer the meat to a plate and pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the fat from the skillet.
Step 3
Add the onion, carrots, celery, leek, and garlic to the skillet. Cook the vegetables, stirring occasionally, for about 20 minutes, until they are tender and beginning to brown. Return the meat to the skillet, skin side up, and add about 2 cups of chicken stock (it should surround the meat, not cover it). Bring the stock to a simmer, then transfer the skillet to the oven. Gently simmer the meat, uncovered, for 1 hour. Add the remaining cup of chicken stock and cook for another hour or so, until the pork is tender enough to cut with a fork. Remove the skillet from the oven and cool the meat in the braising liquid.
Step 4
Increase the oven temperature to 400°F.
Step 5
Remove the meat from the liquid and gently lift off and discard the skin. Use a small knife to separate any pieces of skin that don’t come away from the fat easily. Remove a small piece (about 2 tablespoons) of the fat from the meat and render in another skillet over high heat. Cut the meat into 1/4-inch slices and evenly distribute in the skillet with the rendered fat. Leave in the skillet until the bottom of the meat turns crisp. Transfer the skillet to the oven and cook for 10 minutes, then flip the pork and continue cooking for another 10 minutes, until crisp. Remove from the oven and transfer the meat to paper towels.
Step 6
In another skillet over medium-high heat, add the bacon and render the fat. If not much fat is rendered, add some of the pork belly fat to the skillet. Add the caraway seeds and toss, then add the endive and sauté until browned and slightly wilted. Add the sugar to the bottom of the skillet. Once the sugar has dissolved and starts to caramelize, add the vinegar and season with pepper. Continue cooking until the vinegar is reduced and the endive are just slightly moist. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Step 7
Slice the ciabatta rolls in half. Spread the mustard on the bottom halves. Top with slices of the pork belly, followed by the endive. Close the sandwiches and serve.
