Braised pork belly with orzo, leeks, and sage
It’s been a while since I’ve posted a recipe, so of course - of course - I get around to something wintry and comforting just as the days lengthen and it starts to feel like just maybe spring wasn’t a cruel myth.
Still, this isn’t too heavy, and the herbs brighten it.
It’s also beautifully fire and forget. You don’t really have to sear the pork if you can’t be arsed. It adds a flavour kick, but you’ll get most of the value without it, and some browning from the uncovered cooking time.
Full disclosure: this is a riff on a much better Nigella recipe that braises a whole chicken with leeks, lemon, and bright Mediterranean flavours. It’s wonderful. I started mucking about with it looking for something more autumnal, and went for a sage and onion vibe, and succulent slow-cooked pork belly.
Ingredients:
Pork belly, 1kg (see note)
Orzo, 300g
Leeks, 3 good sized ones
Carrots, 2 large
Onion, 1
Pancetta, 100g (optional)
Garlic, 2 cloves
Capers, 1tbsp
Green peppercorns, 2tsp
Sage, about 20g
Parsley, about 20g
White wine, about 300ml
Serves 4-5
Minimal hands-on time, two and a bit hours in the oven.
Notes:
1kg of pork is plenty for 4 people, ok for 5, and would squeak 6 given how much pasta there is. But get a little more if the bands of fat run thick, otherwise the fat/meat ratio will be a little weird. You want a single piece (not pre-sliced), with the skin on.
If you can only lay your hands on sliced pork belly, this will probably still work with the cooking time reduced, but I’ve not tried it.
Instructions:
Thickly slice the leeks, using plenty of the green. Cut the carrots into thick slices too. Slice the onion and garlic. Finely dice the pancetta if you're fancy and didn't just buy a pack of the little cubes. Roughly chop the herbs, reserving a bit of the sage for finishing the dish at the end. The more you add late, the bigger the sage punch. You may love this or find it a bit much.
Heat the oven to 150c.
In a big, heavy pan on a reasonably high heat sear the pork on all sides in a little oil. Just get a bit of colour on it, especially the rind. Remove the pork.
Turn the heat down a bit and add the pancetta cubes and a splash more oil if it's looking dry, although hopefully the pork gave up a bit of fat. Fry the pancetta for a minute or two, and add the onions. Fry them, stirring occasionally, for five minutes or so until they're softening and the pancetta has a bit of colour. Add the garlic, and fry for a couple more minutes.
Deglaze with the wine (slosh it in and use it to get all the tasty bits off the bottom). Then add the pork, packing the remaining ingredients around it. Pour in about 1.5L of water, or enough to cover and submerge the veg. Bring it to a simmer.
Cover the pan, and put it in the oven for 1.5 hours. Check it after an hour and give the veg a bit of a stir.
At the 1.5hr point, remove the lid and put it back in the oven for half an hour to reduce a little, unless it's pretty dry by this point.
Remove the pork and set to one side to rest, covered.
Add the orzo to the sauce, and return it to the oven, covered, for 15 mins, or until the orzo is cooked. Remove the pan from the oven. Give it a good stir, check the seasoning, and add the reserved sage and any juices that ran off the pork. Cover and let it rest and cool down for a few minutes, maybe 10.
Slice the pork into thick strips, and serve on top of the orzo, perhaps with a green salad.
