12416 Salt-Cured Pork Belly with Fresh Fava Bean Ragout Serves 6, With Leftover Pork Belly for Salads, Soups, And Stews Wed Aug 06 01:06:21 -0700 2008 Tue Feb 03 03:22:24 -0800 2009 Licensed http://www.chow.com/recipes/12416 Tue, 03 Feb 2009 11:22:24 GMT Jean-pierre moullé, long-time chef at Alice Waters's Chez Panisse in Berkeley, California, is a native of France. Described as “brilliant,” “one of California's culinary stars,” and “adorable” to boot, Jean-Pierre is an easygoing and friendly man. Along with his wife, Denise, Moullé hosts seasonal cooking classes and culinary trips throughout Southwest France.

“He brought true French training to the restaurant,” one of Alice's cooks told me. He taught charcuterie, how to handle game and wild fish, and much else besides. He also set an example of calm in what is one of the most stressful environments, a restaurant kitchen!

Jean-Pierre developed this beautifully cured pork belly over a long period, working until he got the curing time just right. “At Chez Panisse, we serve the braised belly as part of our pork plate, along with spit-roasted loin and grilled pork leg,” Jean Pierre told me. “At home I serve it as a pavé [a thick slice] over a plate of warm green lentils or favas with a garden salad and a good mustard vinaigrette, all to balance the richness of the meat.”

I chose to serve the pork belly with a fava bean ragout, one of my favorite accompaniments to confit of duck. Some food writers will tell you that favas and lima beans are interchangeable. This is not true; there is no similarity in texture or taste.

Begin 4 days in advance.

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  • Brine the pork belly: Bring 7 cups water to a boil in a large saucepan. Add the salt and sugar and stir to dissolve. Let cool, then stir in the bay leaves, allspice, cloves, and peppercorns.
  • Pour the brine into a large bowl and put the pork belly in it. Use a heavy plate as a weight to keep the meat submerged. Refrigerate for 3 days, turning the pork belly once or twice.
  • The day you plan to serve, cook the pork belly: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Drain the pork belly and pick off any whole spices clinging to the meat. Pat the belly dry with paper towels. Spread the onions, carrots, garlic, and fennel in a roasting pan. Set the meat on top of the vegetables, pour in the wine, and snugly cover with a sheet of parchment paper or foil. Braise in the oven, covered, for 2 hours.
  • Uncover the pork and roast for 15 minutes. Turn the pork belly over and roast for 15 minutes longer, until the meat is fork tender and beautifully brown on both sides, about 30 minutes total. Remove the pork and let cool; wrap tightly, and refrigerate until well chilled and firm, at least 1 hour so it firms up. (Save all the fat in the roasting pan for cooking stews, soups, and confits.) Neatly cut off six 4-ounce portions from the chilled pork belly; wrap in paper towels and refrigerate. Freeze the rest for future use.
  • Make the Fava Bean Ragout through Step 1 as directed at right.
  • About 10 minutes before serving, preheat a stovetop grill pan over moderate heat. Set the pieces of pork belly in the hot pan. Weigh down with a bacon press or heavy skillet and grill until nicely browned, about 3 minutes. Turn over and brown the second side, 2 to 3 minutes longer.
  • Meanwhile, finish the Fava Bean Ragout. Arrange the ragout in a serving dish. Place the browned and crisp pork belly (petit salé) on top, garnish with the fresh herbs and serve at once.
  • If you purchase pork belly with the skin on, remove the skin and cut it into 3 by 8–inch pieces. Use them to make Confit of Pork Rinds (page 17); you'll be surprised how often this comes in handy. It makes an excellent addition to soups and lentil and bean dishes.
  • In a medium covered skillet, cook the shallots and pancetta in the duck or pork fat over moderately low heat for 5 minutes. Uncover and continue cooking until the pancetta is light brown around the edges. Add the artichoke slices, fennel slices, and sugar and cook for a few more minutes, stirring. Raise the heat to high, add ¼ cup of water, and remove from the heat. (The recipe can be prepared to this point up to 8 hours in advance. Cover and refrigerate.)
  • Add the stock and fava beans to the skillet. Bring to a boil, cover tightly, reduce the heat to moderate, and cook until the favas are completely tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper.
    • ]]>     http://www.chow.com Paula Wolfert 50 Main 3 pounds skinned pork belly, preferably Niman Ranch or other organic, in one piece

    ]]>     2 ounces Diamond Crystal kosher salt (6 tablespoons)

    ]]>     1¼ ounces sugar (1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons)

    ]]>     2 imported bay leaves

    ]]>     6 allspice berries

    ]]>     2 whole cloves

    ]]>     ¼ teaspoon peppercorns

    ]]>     2 medium onions, thinly sliced

    ]]>     2 carrots, trimmed and cut in half

    ]]>     3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

    ]]>     ½ fennel bulb, thinly sliced

    ]]>     ¾ cup sweet white wine, such as California Orange Muscat Essensia

    ]]>     Fresh Fava Bean Ragout (at right)

    ]]>     l tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

    ]]>     l tablespoon chopped fresh thyme

    ]]>     ½ cup thinly sliced shallots

    ]]>     ½ cup finely diced pancetta or ventrèche

    ]]>     1 tablespoon rendered duck or pork fat

    ]]>     ½ cup thinly sliced artichoke heart, fresh or thawed frozen

    ]]>     ½ small fennel bulb, trimmed and thinly sliced lengthwise

    ]]>     1 teaspoon sugar

    ]]>     ¾ cup unsalted chicken stock (storebought or homemade—page 405)

    ]]>     6 pounds fresh young fava beans in their pods, shelled and peeled

    ]]>     Salt and freshly ground pepper

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