Pork belly, braised and pressed then cooked...

This is my favourite way of preparing pork belly.  It is braised the day or 2 before, then pressed and weighted between 2 plates and set in the fridge.  It’s then cut into squares and cooked on a low heat skin side down in a pan with baking paper under the skin and covered with foil until it’s lovely and crispy but not like burnt crackling.  It’s the best way to eat it. The flesh is all tender from the braising, the skin lovely and thin and crisp.

I served it last night with shaved courgette quickly cooked, an onion puree, a celeriac puree, freekah (toasted smoked cracked wheat) and roasted apple.  It was scrum.  The freekah worked so well with it giving it a lovely texture and a smoky flavour to the dish.