Pork belly has been my weakness lately.  So lovely and meaty.  And fatty.  In the best kind of way.  It’s also inexpensive and a cut that a lot of chefs love.  Add it to your repertiore and you’ll find a hundred ways to make it.

This meal is a completely fix-it-and-forget-it kind of dinner.  Toss the belly in some dashi and braise all day.  Cook up some somen in two minutes, toss all together with some seasonal vegetables (last of the green peppers, a few green onions, a carrot) or just some finely sliced shiso.  Some fresh ginger would be great, too.  Dinner’s done.  Who’s hungry?

PK’s Pork Belly with Somen, serves two to three

1 pound pork belly

1 quantity of dashi broth

3 cloves of garlic, smashed

4 green onions, chopped

olive oil, sesame seed oil

In a large dutch oven heat about a tablespoon each of olive oil and sesame seed oil to almost smoking.  Score the fat side of the pork belly four or five times with a sharp knife.  Add the pork belly and brown well on both sides.  Add in the dashi broth and the green onions.  Nestle the garlic cloves in the gashes in the fat.  Cover and slide into a 275 F oven and braise for four to six hours, checking the liquid level periodically.

Cook somen according to package directions.

To serve, slice the pork belly and toss the somen with some of the braising liquid and whatever stir-fried vegetables strike your fancy (green peppers, carrots, daikon, thinly sliced beet greens, bean sprouts, a poached egg, whatever tastes good to you).  Drizzle with some high-quality soy sauce and garnish with sliced fresh shiso leaves.

Playlist included Transparence [sic]  by Asobi Seksu.