Crispy Pork Belly with Nashi Pear, Wasabi, Watermelon Radish and Smoked Vinegar - Chef Recipe by Adam Lane

Ingredients

Half a female pork belly
5L master stock

Den Miso:

90g shiro miso
60g caster sugar
35mL mirin
35mL sake

Nashi Purée:

2 peeled and deseeded green apples
4 peeled and deseeded Nashi pears
20mL lemon juice
30mL sake
30mL mirin
15g butter
5 cloves
2 star anise
1 cinnamon stick

Smoked Vinegar:

50mL rice vinegar
50g caster sugar
75mL water
Sakura wood chip for smoking

Wasabi oil
Watermelon radish
Micro coriander
Katakuriko (potato starch)

Method

Pork Belly:

In a pot, bring master stock to a boil and skim off any scum.

Place the pork belly in a deep tray and cover with the master stock. Cook on steam at 75 degrees for 12 hours. Carefully lift the belly out of the stock and place on a tray to cool in the fridge overnight – placing a weight on top to press the belly flat.

Strain the master stock of any sediment and keep for another time (we have been using the same master stock at Yamagen for 18 months).

Den Miso:

Incorporate all ingredients in a metal bowl, then cook out over a water bath…this will take some time.

The result you are looking for is that the sugar is dissolved, all the alcohol cooked out and the consistency has become thicker. It should taste rich, salty and sweet.

Nashi Purée:

Place the butter and spices in a pot, over a low heat. Add the Nashi, apple and lemon juice and sweat for a couple of minutes.

Add the sake and mirin and continue to cook over a medium to low heat – reduce the sake and mirin without overcooking the Nashi and apple. Take out the cinnamon stick and puree the mixture in a liquidiser.

Smoked Vinegar:

Place all ingredients in a bowl and whisk until the sugar is dissolved.

Cover the bowl with cling wrap so it is airtight, pierce the cling wrap with a knife, place the tube of a smoking gun in the hole and smoke.

To Serve:

Trim the edges of the pork belly, score the skin with a sharp knife in a crisscross pattern. Cut into bite size pieces.

Lightly coat in katakuriko and fry for about five minutes.

Heat the Nashi puree in a pan, smear a good tablespoon’s worth on a serving plate. Arrange pork belly on top of puree and add one drop of wasabi oil to each piece. Drizzle the den miso over the pork belly, not too much as it will overpower the dish.

Finely slice the watermelon radish, cut a fresh Nashi into matchsticks and dress with the smoked vinegar. Arrange on top of the pork belly, garnish with micro coriander.

Recipe provided by Yamagen