Pair Pork Belly with a subtle blend of peas and carrots using Chef Penelope’s elegant recipe. This recipe highlights the use of various spices to activate rich, complex flavors in the pork and vegetable blend. Serves up to 4 plates – see Chef Penelope Wong’s recipe below!

Ingredients

Pork Belly

• 10 oz. pork belly, skin diamond scored
• 4 oz. store bought or house made hoisin sauce
• 4 oz. light brown sugar
• 1 tsp. ground white pepper
• 1 tsp. ground toasted fennel seeds
• 2 oz. toasted sesame oil
• 2 oz. olive oil
• 2 C. chicken stock

Carrot Puree

• 1 shallot, minced
• 2 C. peeled, rough chopped carrots
• s&p
• pinch star anise
• ¼ tsp. ground toasted fennel seed
• pinch ground clove
• ¼ tsp. ground cinnamon
• ¼ tsp. ground Szechuan peppercorn
• 2 C. chicken stock

Anise Glazed Heirloom Carrot

• 1 bunch assorted heirloom carrots, peel, tops trimmed and halved
• 4 oz. unsalted butter
• 1 star anise pod
• 4 oz. granulated sugar
• 4 oz. chicken stock
• 1 C. cleaned English peas
• 8 oz. brown butter
• 2 oz. pea tendrils

Directions

Pork Belly

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

1. Rub pork belly with hoisin, brown sugar, white pepper and fennel seeds.
2. Heat a roasting pan on high heat with sesame oil and olive oil.
3. When the pan is hot, place the pork belly, skin side down and sear. Cook for 8 minutes, or until skin starts to caramelize.
4. Flip over and sear the other side for an additional 5 minutes.
5. Add in chicken stock and cover with aluminum foil and transfer to the oven.
6. Roast for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until tender and cooked through. remove aluminum foil and continue to roast for 15-20 more minutes, or until skin is browned and crisp.
7. Slice into 4 thick 2.5 oz. slices, reserve for plating.

Carrot Puree

1. In a small stock pot, saute minced shallot with 1 tsp. olive oil.
2. Add in chopped carrots, salt & pepper, star anise, fennel seed, clove, cinnamon and Szechuan peppercorn.
3. Continue to saute for 3-5 minutes, until carrots begin cooking and spices become fragrant.
4. Add in chicken stock and bring to a boil.
5. Lower heat and allow to cook at a slow boil for 20 minutes.
6. Transfer carrots and ½ amount of stock into a high speed vitamix blender.
7. Add in 2 oz. chilled unsalted butter.
8. Puree on low speed gradually increasing to high speed and continue to puree until mixture becomes smooth.
9. Add in more of the cooking liquid if necessary.

Anise Glazed Heirloom Carrots

1. In a saute pan, heat butter.
2. When butter melts, add in halved carrots and saute for 3 minutes.
3. Add in star anise pod and sugar, continue to saute for an additional 3-5 minutes.
4. Add in stock and reduce heat to medium low, making sure carrots are mostly submerged.
5. Continue to cook for 20-25 minutes, or until liquid has reduced to a syrupy glaze and carrots are cooked through. Reserve.

Peas

1. Heat a saute pan with 2 oz. olive oil, saute peas with salt & pepper until cooked through.

Brown Butter Foam

1. Heat butter in a small sauce pan on low heat, until butter starts to brown.
2. Once you notice the butter starting to brown, start whisking the butter lightly to evenly distribute and brown proteins.
3. Once desired darkness of butter is reached, remove butter from the pan to prevent further browning and possible burning).
4. Transfer browned butter into a deep vessel. Using a handheld immersion blender,
5. Blend browned butter at a 45 degree angle to create a layer of foam on the top.

Plating

Swirl carrot puree onto plate, spoon English peas on puree, place slice of browned pork belly nestled into peas and spoon brown butter foam on top of pork belly.  Garnish with snipped pea tendrils.

Connect with Our September Chef of the Month:

Shop Her Look!

Instagram: @penelopewong