Crispy Pork Belly, Fava Beans, Pea Tendrils, and Salsa Verde

METHOD:

For the Pork Belly:
In a bowl combine, sugar, salt, pepper, coriander, fennel seeds, chili flakes, juniper berries, cloves, and cinnamon. Place pork belly in a large, non-reactive container. Rub pork with spice mixture and refrigerate 1 week. Preheat oven to 200°F. Rinse cure off pork. In a roasting pan combine pork with onion, carrots, garlic, fennel bulbs, and rosemary. Cover in water and braise 10 hours. Remove from oven, discard vegetables, and reserve fat. Press pork belly between two parchment paper-lined sheet trays, weighing about 10 pounds. Refrigerate until cool. Remove skin and cut into 4 ounce portions, scoring the fat.

For the Salsa Verde:
In a mortar and pestle, crush parsley leaves with 1 tablespoon sea salt. In a bowl, combine red onion and vinegar. Season with salt. Reserve capers in a bowl for pick-up.

To Assemble and Serve:
In a wood-fired oven, render the Pork Belly on low heat until it’s crispy and fat is soft. In a sauté pan, gently warm fava beans in reserved pork fat. Season the pea tendrils with salt and add warmed fava beans. Gently toss them to slightly wilt the greens. Plate pea tendrils and fava beans. Blot excess fat from Pork Belly and place atop pea tendrils. From the Salsa Verde components, mix equal parts parsley, onions, and capers à la minute and dress the belly and plate with 2 tablespoons Salsa Verde. Finish with sea salt and olive oil.