Porchetta with bacon and brioche? Oh yes we were there,Sage grated porchetta with quince glaze,Porchetta with a sage and fennel filling& Honey-glazed ham with parsley and praline crust

Porchetta with bacon and brioche? Oh yes we were there

 Ingredients

​​1 red onion, finely chopped

1 small fennel bulb, finely chopped

1 teaspoon each of fennel, coriander, caraway & cumin, roasted, crushed

1 (400 g) brioche breadcrumbs from the previous day

1 bunch of flat-leaf parsley, stems, and leaves chopped

1 bunch of oregano, leaves plucked 

50 g unsalted butter

200 g smoked bacon without rind, cut into 3 cm long sticks

2 cloves of garlic, sliced 

1/2 bunch of thyme, leaves plucked

3/4 cup (60 g) parmesan, finely grated

1/3 cup (80 ml) extra virgin Olive oil, plus extra to drizzle over

3 kg piece of boneless pork belly

lemon dressing

1 tbsp Dijon mustard

1/4 cup (60 ml) lemon juice

1 tbsp liquid honey

1/3 cup (80 ml) extra virgin olive oil

Method

1.     For the filling, heat the butter in a pan over medium heat. Add the bacon, garlic, onion, fennel and spices and fry for 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the fat has come out of the bacon and the vegetables are soft. Set aside to cool. In the meantime, place the brioche breadcrumbs, herbs, parmesan, and oil in a food processor and pulse until the brioche is finely chopped and the mixture is blended. Transfer to a large bowl, add the bacon mixture and mix with your hands. Season to taste.

2.     Lay the pork belly skin side down and fold the meat from the center outwards on one side to separate the meat from the skin without cutting it all the way through, then open it into a large piece. Season the bacon and brioche mixture and distribute evenly over the pork. Roll the pork into a log over itself so the skin is on top and not rolled into the center of the stem

3.      Cut 6 pieces of kitchen twine long enough to tie the pork. Place the string on a bench at even intervals and place the rolled pork on the string. Lift up each piece of string and tie a knot to secure the pork in place so it holds its shape as it cooks. Season the pork skin with salt and let it dry uncovered in the refrigerator overnight or if time allows for 24 hours.

4.     Place a wire rack on a roasting tray and place the porchetta seam down on the wire rack. Drizzle with olive oil and season with fine table salt all around. Roast for 30 minutes. Reduce the heat to 180 ° C and fry for another 1 hour 15 minutes or until the skin crackles and the meat is cooked through. Take out of the oven, cover loosely with aluminum foil and let rest for 20-25 minutes before carving.

5.  For the lemon dressing, put all the ingredients in a small glass with a lid, season to taste, and shake well. Place the porchetta on a large platter and serve with dressing.

Sage grated porchetta with quince glaze

Ingredients

1kg rock salt

3kg piece of boneless pork belly (with skin; the shorter end of the pork should be at least 20cm wide)

2 bunches of sage, leaves plucked

1/3 cup (80ml) extra virgin olive oil, plus 1 tbsp

6 extra green apples, cut in half

200 g quince paste

1 cup (250 ml) pig chicken liquid broth

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar,

sage, rye and current filling

150 g rye bread, chopped

500 g pork and fennel sausages, uncovered, roughly chopped

1/4 cup (50 g) currants

1/2 bunch of sage, leaves plucked, finely chopped

Method

1.  Spread half the salt on the bottom of a deep-rimmed baking sheet and place the pork skin-side up on top. Cover the pork skin with the remaining salt and wrap it in plastic wrap.
2.  Refrigerate for 3 hours to harden easily. Rinse the cured pork under cold running water, then pat dry with kitchen paper. Score the pigskin with a sharp knife at intervals of 5 mm.
3.  Preheat the oven to 220 ° C. Finely chop half of the sage and mix with the oil and 1 tablespoon of salt flakes in a bowl. Spread over the pork.
4. For the sage, rye and currant filling put the bread in a food processor and puree to fine crumbs. Add the remaining ingredients and pulse to blend.
5.  Place the pork skin-side down on a dry work surface with the long side facing you. Put the filling on the side closest to you and roll it up into porchetta. Tie 4 cm apart with kitchen twine so that the pork retains its shape and place on a greased roaster.
6.  Grease a frying pan large enough to fit in the roasting pan and line it with parchment paper. Put the apple halves in the prepared pan, then place the grid with the pork on top. Roast for 35-40 minutes until the skin is golden brown and crispy. Add the stock to the pan, being careful not to pour any liquid over the pork.
7.  Reduce the oven to 160 ° C and fry for another 1 hour 30 minutes, or until the apple is tender and the pork skin is crispy. Rub the remaining sage leaves with an additional 1 tablespoon of oil and add to the pan for the last 10 minutes of cooking so that they become crispy. Place the sage on a plate with tongs and set aside. Let the pork and apples rest loosely covered with aluminum foil for 10 minutes.
8.  In the meantime, for the quince glaze, put quince, vinegar, 2 tablespoons of water and 1 teaspoon each of salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper in a saucepan over high heat and cook, stirring constantly until the quince mixture comes to a boil. Simmer for 5 minutes or until slightly reduced.
9. Cut the pork into thick slices and serve with apples, sage leaves and quince glaze.

Porchetta with a sage and fennel filling

Ingredients

 1 bunch of Cavolo Nero, cleaned, stems removed

550g one-day sourdough bread, crust removed, roughly torn

1 bunch of flat-leaf parsley, leaves plucked

1/2 bunch of sage leaves, leaves plucked

2 teaspoons of roasted fennel seeds, crushed

1 teaspoon of ground allspice

70g dried tomatoes, drained

2/3 cup (160ml) extra virgin olive oil

400g pork and fennel sausages, without casings,

3kg piece of boneless pork belly, trimmed

Method

 For the filling, blanch Cavolo Nero in a saucepan with boiling water and refresh in ice water. Drain well and chop. Put the sourdough, Cavolo Nero, herbs, spices, tomatoes and olive oil in a food processor and beat until creamy until everything is well mixed. Put the minced meat in a large bowl and season. Mix with your hands until everything is blended. Chill until needed.

1.  Lay the pork belly skin side down and fold the meat from the center outwards on one side to separate the meat from the skin without cutting it all the way through, then open it into a large piece. Season the meat and spread the filling evenly. Roll into a log so the skin is on top and not rolled into the center of the porchetta. Cut 8 pieces of butcher's twine long enough to tie the pork and place them evenly on a bench. Place the rolled pork on the string and tie a knot at a time to hold the pork firmly in place. Season the skin with salt and leave it to rest uncovered in the refrigerator overnight or for up to 24 hours
2.  Preheat a fan oven to 250 ° C. Place a wire rack in a roasting tray and place the porchetta on the wire rack with the seam facing down, drizzle with olive oil and season all over with fine table salt. Roast for 30 minutes. Reduce heat to 180 ° C and fry for another 1 hour 25 minutes or until the skin crackles and the meat is cooked through. Remove from the oven and let the porchetta rest for 15 minutes before carving.

Ingredients

600g liquid honey each

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, allspice & ground ginger

1 (7kg) whole leg of ham on the bone

parsley and chocolate crust

3/4 cup (180ml) mead (from selected bottle shops)

250g powdered sugar 80g unsalted butter

370g coarse white sourdough crumbs

1/2 bunch of thyme, leaves plucked

2 cloves of garlic, crushed

3/4 bunch of flat-leaf parsley & dill, leaves plucked, finely chopped

Zest of 2 lemons

Method

1.     To make a glaze, mix honey and spices in a saucepan over medium heat and cook, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes to allow the flavors to develop. Remove from heat and keep warm until use.

2.      Grease the bottom of a 2 cm deep, medium-sized casserole dish and line with parchment paper.

3.      For the parsley and praline crust, heat the mead and sugar in a medium-sized pan over high heat. Occasionally cook the pan for 12-15 minutes, until golden brown and caramelized. Pour over the prepared baking sheet and let it stand until it has cooled down completely. After cooling, place in a food processor and grind to a fine powder. Put aside.

4.      In the meantime, heat the butter in a large pan. When the butter starts to foam, add breadcrumbs, thyme, garlic, parsley and dill. toss until buttered. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, turning frequently, for 5-6 minutes, until toasted, golden, and fragrant. Season to taste. Transfer to a large baking sheet, distribute and allow to cool completely. After cooling, sprinkle the pralines and bowl on top and mix. Season to taste. It should have a nice balance between salty and sweetness. Set aside until ready to use.

5.   Preheat the oven to 180 ° C. On the side opposite the ankle, remove the skin from the ham, leaving the fat in place. Cut around the ankle to loosen the skin (reserve). Place on a wire rack in a large, deep baking sheet and brush all over with glaze. Bake, pour over every 15 minutes, for 1 hour 30 minutes or until deep golden brown and caramelized. Take out of the oven and let stand for 15 minutes, then brush with the glaze again. Sprinkle the ham with a thick layer of parsley and chocolate crust. Press into the glaze with your hands. Place on a large serving platter. Slice and serve warm or cold with the remaining glaze. When storing the ham, wrap the ham in the reserved skin to keep it fresh.