I wasn't sure where to put this so I thought here since it's kind of a recipe I guess and maybe get some chat about pork belly going. I was in one of my favorite markets that has all sorts of things. Right next to the half hog heads (seriously!) there was some different cuts of pork belly ranging from whole sheets which I've used before to this one; looks kind of like bacon...
Seen on left. I also picked up some herb/leave that I have tried called Makok, also pictured. It's slightly bitter with a strong citrus flavor. I tried a little bit in a soup today and it wilts cooks rapidly.
So I was trying to figure out what to do with the pork belly and I scanned around on the internet and got some ideas and came up with this.
- about 2 ounces of pork belly sliced into manageable sizes for chopsticks
- a handful of stripped Makok leaves, rinsed
- 1 clove garlic, sliced
- Huy Fong Garlic Chili Paste
- pinch of salt
- a little sour cream and lettuce for garnish
I took out my trusty little 8 inch iron skillet, got it to temp and dropped the pork belly down in one layer. Let is get good and cooking and render a little fat. I fired a little salt at it and sprinkled the garlic slices over then flipped the pork and got the other side browning. If you don't like brown garlic put it in later or not at all.
When the pork looked cooked and golden I threw in the leaves and a big tablespoon of garlic chili past at it and took it off the heat and stirred as it sizzled and calmed down. The paste and fat were coming together!
I scraped it into a little bowl and put a dob of sour cream and some cleverly placed shredded lettuce to make it look good. Turns out that was a smart move!
I have not read dr. atkins book but I've heard talk of enjoying "decedent" food on his plan. Well, this is it! I'm guessing the carbs to be 1 or two and after you're done you might not want dinner. Would be a good micro appetizer if you were doing a party of something. Your guests would be puzzled but pleased
Here it is. I want more tomorrow