Create one of our favourite dishes from the HostCo menu at home! A perfectly crispy pork belly that shatters like glass when you slice into it, served with lush corn puree. We typically serve it as an entree at our events but you can serve it as a main dish by simply increasing the portion size of your pork belly.
Ingredients
1kg Pork Belly
Corn Puree
500gm Sweet Corn Kernels
2 Brown Onions, chopped
100gm Cold Butter, cubed
200ml Cream
Tarragon Caper Jus
400ml Beef Stock / Demi Glaze*
1/4 Bunch Tarragon
1 Tbsp Baby Capers
1 Eschalot
Instructions
Pork Belly
- Place the pork belly inside a large ziplock bag, and place in a steamer to cook overnight or for a minimum of 6 hours. Chef tip: Adding aromats to the bag during this process is a great way to introduce flavouring into the meat.
- Line a baking tray with a non-stick paper, place the belly skin side down, place another line of non-stick paper on the flesh side and place enough weight to press down the slab. Cool down in the fridge. Chef tip: try to press the pork while its warm, to get the most natural press from the pork.
- Once the pork belly is cold, slice into to desired portion sizes, then season the flesh.
- On a cold pan, place non-stick paper and place the pork belly skin side down and start on a low heat to crisp up the skin. Chef tip: Starting from a cold pan will render the fat from the pork belly which gives it a glass finish, compared to the rough roasted look usually done in an oven.
Corn Puree
- Sweat chopped onions in a pot until translucent. Then add the corn kernels cream, and a touch of water, bring to simmer. Cook for 25mins or until kernels are cooked through.
- In a food processor, add everything from the pot and process until a smooth consistency. Chef tip: for a lush puree finish, push the puree through a fine sieve to remove the kernel husk.
- To finish the puree, slowly incorporate cold diced butter while mixing before serving. Chef tip: adding cold diced butter through sauces and puree produces a velvety mouthfeel.
Tarragon Caper Jus
- Finely chop eschalot and capers, then lightly saute in a pan.
- Deglaze the pan with a splash of red wine. Then add jus, check the consistency. Chef tip: making jus from scratch can take a long time, demi glazes are usually now available in most grocery stores.
- Just before serving add the chopped tarragon.
Plating Time
- Start with a spoonful or two (this depends on the size of your portion) of corn puree for the base of the plate.
- Follow with the portion of pork belly centred on the puree, and then a healthy spoonful of the tarragon caper jus all around the pork.
- We've added charred broccolini and baby corn on the side, but it would be equally as good with fresh green beans.
