Pork belly, kimchi, smoked tofu, shiitake, peanuts

  • medium
  • 8
  • 2 hours 30 minutes
Not yet rated

Peter Gordon's magnificent pork belly recipe is paired with kimchi and a heavenly smoked tofu purée. The pork belly and kimchi require some time to prepare, with the belly first being brined before slowly roasting, pressing and finally deep-frying for a crispy finish. Make the kimchi the night before roasting and pressing the pork so that it has enough time to ferment.

First published in 2015

Ingredients

Metric

Imperial

Pork belly

Kimchi

Kimchi spice mix

Smoked tofu purée

  • silken tofu, 1 pack
  • 60g of wood chips
  • 30g of jasmine rice
  • 30g of tamari
  • 15g of Demerara sugar
  • 50g of sunflower oil

Shiitake

Peanuts

Equipment

  • Food processor or blender
  • Deep fat fryer
  • Deep roasting tray
  • 1.5kg weight

Method

1
To prepare the pork belly, score the skin of the pork, with each incision 5mm apart. Combine the star anise and salt in a bowl, then rub the mix into the skin and flesh of the pork
2
Place the pork in a deep dish that is large enough to hold it comfortably, and pour in enough water to cover by 2cm. Leave to brine in the fridge for 36 hours
3
Preheat the oven to 140°C/gas mark 1
4
After this time, remove the pork from the brine and pat dry. Line a roasting dish with parchment paper and spread out the apple and onion slices in an even layer. Place the pork belly on top with the skin facing up
5
Cover the pork with a double layer of baking parchment and seal the dish tightly with foil or a lid. Place in the oven and cook for 7 hours
6
Remove the belly from the roasting dish and place in another dish lined with baking parchment. Top with a double layer of parchment, place a chopping board or tray on top and press down with a 1.5kg weight. Allow the belly to cool and place in the fridge for at least 6 hours
7
Chiffonade the Chinese and savoy cabbages and add to a bowl with the Brussels sprout leaves. Vigorously rub in the salt and the sugar and leave overnight in the fridge
8
The next day, make the kimchi spice mix by blitzing together all of the ingredients in a small food processor
9
Squeeze any excess liquid from the cabbage mix and combine with the spring onion, carrot and kimchi spice mix
10
To make the smoked tofu purée, combine the wood chips and jasmine rice in the base of a hot-smoker. Split the tofu in half and place both halves on the rack in the smoker
  • 60g of wood chips
  • 30g of rice, jasmine
  • silken tofu, 1 pack
11
Cover tightly with foil, ensuring that there are no gaps for the smoke to escape through. Place over a high heat for 2 minutes, then reduce the temperature and cook for another 3 minutes
12
Remove from the heat, set aside (still sealed) for 15 minutes, then remove the foil lid. Add the tofu into a food processor with the tamari, sugar and oil, and blitz until smooth. Season and set aside ready to re-heat before serving
  • 30g of tamari
  • 15g of Demerara sugar
  • 50g of sunflower oil
13
To prepare the peanuts, add to a pan with the salt and 500ml of water and boil for 10 minutes. Drain well, pat dry then allow to dry completely in a warm place or a dehydrator until crunchy
14
Add the peanuts to a pan with enough peanut oil to cover by 1cm. Heat to 160°C and cook until golden. Drain well, spread out on a tray to cool then roughly chop
  • peanut oil
15
To finish the pork belly, remove the weights and board and cut into 8 even portions. Add the stock, black vinegar, tamari, honey and cinnamon to a pan, bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes
16
Deep-fry the pork until golden, then place into the simmering sauce for 8 minutes to heat through. Drain well before serving
17
To prepare the mushrooms, dice the shiitake caps and place in a steamer for 3 minutes. Mix with the tamari and set aside until ready to serve
18
Place the pork belly on a bed of the warm kimchi with a spoon of the hot tofu purée. Finish with the peanuts and mushrooms before serving

Decades on from the halcyon days of The Sugar Club, the 'King of Fusion', Peter Gordon still reigns supreme on the London dining scene.

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