Slow-cooked miso pork belly with pak choi, noodles and mushrooms

Serves 4 (Start 1 day before serving) Starters and mains

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Method

The day before, put all the ingredients for the first cooking liquid into a large pan and lay the pork belly on top, skin-side up. Add 1.25 litres cold water to just cover the meat.

Place over a low heat and slowly bring to a gentle simmer, with the lid half covering the pan, for 1½ hours.

Lift the meat out on to a plate and strain the liquid through a sieve set over a bowl. Discard the solids from the sieve (or keep to make a soup: liquidise the mixture with water or vegetable stock).

Pour the liquid into a wide container and add the pork. When it cools down, put in the fridge overnight.

The next day, skim all the fat from the surface of the set cooking liquid. Lift the pork on to a plate and return to the fridge.

Put the dried shiitake mushrooms in a bowl, pour over 200ml boiling water and leave to soak for 25 minutes. Put the skimmed first cooking liquid into a large pan and add the remaining ingredients for the second cooking liquid.

Add the shiitake and their soaking liquid and heat on a low to medium heat. Simmer very gently for 45 minutes with the lid half covering the pan. Add the cooked pork and simmer for a further 20 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 200C/ 180C F/Gas 6. Remove the pan from the heat, lift the pork on to a plate and score the soft skin in a fine diamond pattern. Cover with foil to keep it warm. Strain the cooking liquid through a sieve set over a bowl. Put the liquid back into the pan and continue to simmer gently. Discard the solids from the sieve (or use for soup, as above, discarding the kombu).

Cut the pork into 8 approx. 5cm pieces and place, skin-side up, on a foil-lined tray. Roast in the oven for around 10 minutes to crisp up the skin a little, but make sure it remains tender.

Meanwhile, cook the fresh mushrooms. Heat 1tbsp of the oil in a frying pan over a high heat and fry the mushrooms for around 7 minutes until golden and soft. Add a pinch of sea salt and put in a warmed dish to keep warm.

Cut the pak choi in half lengthways. Add the remaining oil to the same frying pan and sear the pak choi, cut-side down, until browned. Remove from the heat, add a glass of water, then put a lid over the pan and simmer very gently for 1-2 minutes until just tender.

Put the noodles in a bowl and cover with cold water to soften. Use a fork to separate the strands as they soak, then drain well. To heat, pour over boiling water and leave for a few minutes until tender.

Add the noodles to the simmering cooking liquid and divide among 4 large bowls. Spoon a portion of mushrooms over each, then add 2 pieces of the pork and some pak choi. Serve while hot.

This recipe was taken from the October 2021 issue of Food and Travel. To subscribe, click here.