Porkbelly is one of my all time favourite foods. I was very fortunate to be on the receiving end of this meal made by Sydney Naturopath & Nutritionist Helen Padarin, she kindly has shared this recipe.

I have tried many pork bellies over the years and this one definitely was the best!

Ingredients

Organic, pasture raised pork belly (ideally with bones removed)

Sage leaves

Celtic or Himalayan salt

black pepper

2L homemade chicken or vegetable broth/stock

Directions

Score the skin approx. 2cm apart Pat skin dry with paper towel

On the underside of the pork belly scatter sage leaves

Put flesh side down in a deep baking dish

Rub skin with salt and pepper being sure to get the salt into the scores (this will help with producing great crackling)

Place in a preheated oven at 220 degrees Celsius for 20 mins monitoring to make sure the skin doesn't burn. The idea is to have the cracking done at this point

Remove from oven and turn down to 150 degrees Celsius

Pour warm broth (cold into a hot dish will shatter) up to 1/2 way to 2/3 up the flesh making sure not to go past the fat/flesh interface

Place back in the oven for approx. an hour and a half (90 mins)

If the cracklings didn't quite crackle at the start, at the end turn up the top element of the oven for 5 to 10 mins on high, keeping a close eye as to not burn

Remove from the dish, reserve the broth to make the most amazing soup for tomorrow's dinner

Pear Stew Recipe

3 pears peeled, cored and sliced into a pot with a few cms of water

1 Tsp vanilla, cinnamon, sprinkle of dried sage leaves

Bring to the boil and simmer until the pork is ready

Fennel & Pear Salad

1 large or 2 small fennel

2 green pears (ripe but still relatively firm)

2 TBS olive oil

2 TBS sauerkraut juice or lemon juice

2 TBS walnuts rough chopped

Microgreens to top

Combine thinly sliced fennel, thinly sliced pears lengthways to keep shape.

Whisk together sauerkraut juice & olive oil and dress the salad, top with walnuts, microgreens & fennel fronds

Thanks to Helen Padarin for sharing this amazing recipe. Helen is a Naturopath & Nutritionist based out of Sydney Helen can be found at:

w::https://helenpadarin.com/