Slow-Braised Pork Belly with Seared Scallops, Cauliflower Purée and Apple

⏱ 270 min · Serves 4

A restaurant plate you can absolutely pull off at home: pork belly braised until it collapses then crisped to glass, sweet seared scallops, silky cauliflower purée and sharp apple to cut the richness. Start the belly a day ahead and plating becomes calm and easy.

Per serving: 812 kcal · 42.0g protein · 24.0g carbs · 61.0g fat

Ingredients

• 800g pork belly, boneless, skin on
• 1 tbsp flaky sea salt, for the skin
• 500ml chicken stock
• 150ml dry cider
• 1 onion, halved
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 star anise
• 3 sprigs thyme
• 1 medium cauliflower (about 700g), florets only
• 300ml whole milk
• 50g unsalted butter
• 2 tbsp double cream
• 1 Granny Smith apple
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 12 large king scallops, roe off, patted very dry
• 1 tbsp neutral oil
• 20g butter, for the scallops
• 2 tbsp cider vinegar
• 1 tbsp honey
• Salt and white pepper
• Micro herbs or chives, to finish

Method

1. Heat oven to 150C/130C fan. Score the pork skin lightly, rub with the flaky salt, then wipe most of it off. Sit the belly skin-side up in a snug roasting tin with the onion, garlic, star anise and thyme. Pour the stock and cider around the meat, keeping the skin dry and above the liquid.
2. Cover loosely with foil and braise for 3 hours until a skewer slides through with no resistance. Lift the belly out, strain the braising liquid into a pan and chill both.
3. Press the belly between two trays with a weight on top and refrigerate at least 4 hours (or overnight). Trim to four neat rectangles.
4. Reduce the strained braising liquid with the cider vinegar and honey to a glossy sauce, about 150ml. Season and set aside.
5. For the purée, simmer the cauliflower in the milk with a pinch of salt for 15 minutes until very soft. Drain, keeping the milk. Blend with the butter, cream and enough milk to give a thick, silky purée. Season with white pepper and keep warm.
6. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan. Sear the pork pieces skin-side down in a dry ovenproof pan over medium heat for 6-8 minutes until the skin blisters and crisps, then turn and roast for 10-12 minutes to heat through. Rest somewhere warm.
7. Cut half the apple into fine matchsticks and toss with lemon juice. Dice the rest small and toss into the warm sauce at the last minute.
8. Get a heavy pan smoking hot with the oil. Season the scallops and sear 60-90 seconds until deeply golden, flip, add the butter and baste 30-45 seconds. They should be just translucent in the centre.
9. Swipe purée onto warm plates. Add a piece of pork belly and three scallops per plate, spoon over the apple sauce, and finish with the apple matchsticks and herbs.