Roast Pork Belly with Spiced Chickpeas and Honey-Mustard Sauce
The recipe for this pork belly gives you a caramelised crisp exterior while keeping it juicy and tender. The sweet and salty tones from the honey and spices balances the flavours just right. The spiced chickpeas are cooked until golden and act as a wonderful base for the gently braised veggies. Served with a honey-mustard sauce, which pairs perfectly with pork, this recipe is a must try.
Serves 4
Ingredients:
600g pork belly strips
20g honey
10g old bay seasoning
10g smoked paprika
400g canned chickpeas
10g butter
10g cumin
7g cayenne pepper
7g smoked paprika
100g white onion
50g carrot
25g honey
15g dijon mustard
2 bay leaves
300-500ml beef stock
1 leek
1 courgette
20g butter
10g sugar
Method:
Take the pork belly out of the fridge and let it come to room temperature. Drizzle over the honey and add the seasonings along with salt and pepper. Rub and coat the slices with the spice mix then put in the oven at 180°C for around 40 minutes, flipping over halfway through.
Meanwhile, slice the leek into approximately 5-8cm slices. Slice the courgette in half lengthways then use a spoon to scoop out the seeds. Slice the courgettes at an angle.
For the honey-mustard sauce, gently sweat down the chopped onions and carrot, add the crushed garlic and cook until fragrant. Once the onions have softened, add the honey and mustard to coat the vegetables. Cook for a minute then add in the beef stock and bring to a simmer. Add the bayleaf and leave to simmer for around 15 minutes.
For the chickpeas, place a pot on medium heat and add the butter. Once slightly foaming, add in the chickpeas. Cook for a couple of minutes until they turn golden then coat with the spices. Turn down the heat and cook for another coupe of minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
For the braised vegetables, take the butter and melt in a pan on a medium heat. Once foaming, add in the leeks and courgettes. Sprinkle over the sugar, salt and pepper. Add a splash of stock or water, then cover with a lid and allow to cook for around 6-10 minutes.
Take the honey-mustard sauce and pass through a sieve to remove the vegetable mirepoix and bay leaves. Leave to simmer gently and reduce until it is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, then season with salt and pepper to taste.
Remove the lid from the vegetables and check that they are cooked. Taste them and season with salt and pepper.
To serve, spoon the spiced chickpeas into the base of the plate, add the courgettes and leeks, then top with the pork belly. Spoon over the honey-mustard sauce, or use as a tasty dip!