Name: Bodega’s pork belly and bullhorn peppers
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 150 min
Total time: 170 min
Yield: 8
Ingredients: 100 gm rock salt; 1 kg piece boneless pork belly, skin removed; 5 red bullhorn peppers; Olive oil, for drizzling; 70 ml extra-virgin olive oil; 30 ml sherry vinegar; 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced on a mandolin; Sliced pickled guindilla chillies or other pickled green chillies, to serve (see note)

Bodega’s pork belly and bullhorn peppers

"Simplicity - soft, sticky, gelatinous pork inspired by white-cut chicken," say Abrahanowicz and Milgate of Sydney's Bodega.

Serves 8

Prep

20M

Cook

2H 30M

Total

2H 50M

“Here’s one from the first menu. Simplicity – soft, sticky, gelatinous pork inspired by white-cut chicken,” say Abrahanowicz and Milgate.

Ingredients

100 gm rock salt

1 kg piece boneless pork belly, skin removed

5 red bullhorn peppers

Olive oil, for drizzling

70 ml extra-virgin olive oil

30 ml sherry vinegar

2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced on a mandolin

Sliced pickled guindilla chillies or other pickled green chillies, to serve (see note)

Method

Main

1.Rub salt all over pork belly, cover and refrigerate for 2-3 hours to season. Wipe excess salt from pork and place in a steamer basket over a large saucepan of simmering water and steam until very tender when a knife is inserted (2-2½ hours).

2.Meanwhile, heat a char-grill pan to high. Drizzle peppers with olive oil and grill, turning occasionally, until blackened and collapsed (18-20 minutes). Transfer to a bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap and stand to steam (20 minutes). Peel charred skin from peppers and open them up to remove seeds and stem. Slice lengthways, then layer peppers in a bowl with extra-virgin olive oil, vinegar and garlic, season with sea salt flakes, and stand to marinate at room temperature for 2 hours.

3.To serve, arrange marinated peppers on serving plates, top with thickly sliced pork belly, drizzle with a little pepper marinade, season with sea salt flakes and scatter with sliced guindillas.

Pickled guindilla chillies are available at delicatessens such as Continental Deli in Newtown, Encasa Deli in Sydney and The Essential Ingredient (essentialingredient.com.au).
Drink Suggestion: Malbec rosé Drink suggestion by Joe Valore
Notes