Crispy Pork Belly

This is so easy with mouth watering results. You gotta love tender and juicy pork belly with a crispy crackling. The meat will melt in your mouth and the crackling adds a bit of crunch. Sage works ever so well with pork and if you get your hands on some of the fresh variety, you will reap the rewards of this pungent herb. For this recipe, I’ve made my own special seasoning for the pork belly. Using a pestle and mortar, pound up some garlic, sage, sea salt, and white pepper for a wicked seasoning. Add some extra virgin olive oil to loosen up the mix. Score the pork belly every 2 cm with a razor sharp knife. Get the mixture into the pork belly as deep as you can (without destroying it). Wrap it up with some foil and cook it under a low heat for 2 and a half hours (if you don’t have a barbecue, cook it for 3 hours). Pop this onto your barbecue and smoke it for another 10 minutes on each side under a low heat. Rest the pork belly for a couple minutes, then slice it up. Now watch it disappear within minutes. 

READY TO COOK?

1. Preheat the oven to 160ºc.
2. In a pestle and mortar, pound the sage leaves, garlic, white pepper, and sea salt until you have a bright green paste. Add a big dash of olive oil to loosen up the paste.
3. Score the pork belly every 2 cm with a very sharp knife. You will need this as the pork skin can be quite tough.
4. Mix the paste all over the pork belly with your hands.
5. Pop the pork belly onto a roasting tray and wrap it up with a double layer of foil.
6. Cook the pork belly in the oven for about 3 and a half hours. If you have a barbecue cook it in the oven for 2 and a half hours, then grill it on the barbecue for 10 minutes on each side. Both ways work a treat, I prefer the barbecue method as it will be a bit more charred and smokey.
7. Once the pork belly is cooked, rest it on a chopping board for about 3 minutes.
8. Start slicing the pork belly into your desired slices and serve straight away.

INGREDIENTS

• 2kg pork belly
• 1 handful of fresh sage
• 1 clove of garlic
• olive oil (use a good one)
• white pepper
• sea salt

 

Pork chops with Parmesan mushrooms and kale

You gotta love a tender and juicy pork chop. Sage works ever so well with pork and if you get your hands on some of the fresh variety, you will reap the rewards of this pungent herb. For this recipe, I’ve made my own special seasoning for the chops. Using a pestle and mortar, pound up some garlic, coriander seeds, sage, sea salt, and white pepper for a wicked seasoning. If you cook it just right, you will get a succulent and sweet treat that melts in your mouth. People have told me that pork steaks are difficult to cook right. They say it is hard to keep it moist and juicy in the inside, while making sure it is cooked well-done. I am glad to tell you that is not the case at all. As a matter of fact, I believe porks steaks are one of the easiest to cook in your kitchen. Season them right and with a bit of TLC you are already there. Cook them on your grill for 3-4 minutes on each side depending on the thickness. You must resist at all cost to overcook them. Rest the steaks for 3 minutes and you will be in little piggy heaven. 

READY TO COOK?

1. In a pestle and mortar, pound the sage, garlic, coriander seeds, white pepper, and sea salt.
2. Season the mix onto your steaks, drizzle some olive oil all over, wrap them up with cling film and marinate for at least 1 hour (or overnight).
3. Pre-heat your oven to 200ºc.
4. When you are ready to cook, take out the stem of your mushroom. Stuff the mushroom with Parmesan, basil, and black pepper. Drizzle with olive oil and stick them into the oven. They will take only 12 minutes to cook.

1. Heat up a griddle-pan until sizzling hot.
2. Pop in your steaks and grill on each side for 3 and a half minutes (or 4 minutes depending on thickness).

1. Once the steaks are done, rest them on a warm plate for 2-3 minutes.
2. While the steaks are resting, heat up a small pan with a dash of olive oil.
3. Lightly sauté the kale in the oil under a low heat for 1 minute. Turn the hob off and add a knob of butter, sea salt and black pepper.
4. Plate your dish up with the kale, mushrooms, and pork chops.
5. I like a little bit of bread on the side to soak up the juices. I’ve also drizzled some sticky balsamic and mixed seeds on the dish to act as a sweet and crunchy sauce.

INGREDIENTS

• 2x 220g pork chops (any tender cuts like loin)
• 1 sprig of sage (finely chopped)
• 1 sprig of basil (finely chopped)
• 1 clove of garlic – crushed
• 1 tea spoon of coriander seeds

• 2 portobello mushrooms (or any huge mushroom you can find)
• 2 table spoons of Parmesan cheese
• 3 handfuls of kale (roughly chopped up)
• sticky balsamic vinegar
• 2 table spoons of mixed seeds
• olive oil (use a good one)
• sea salt
• black pepper
• white pepper
• knob of butter