Recipe: Porchetta with Blueberry twist
MANILA, Philippines — Porchetta by itself is already a luxurious treat for the palate. Of Italian origin, this moist and juicy roast pork roll gets an even more gourmet finish.
Chef Alvin Ong bakes the Porchetta to a golden crisp with chopped walnuts and dried blueberries in the filling, then bathes in Blueberry Balsamic Glaze.
Blueberry Walnut Porchetta with Blueberry Balsamic Glaze
Ingredients:
For the Porchetta:
1 kg. boneless pork belly
For the filling:
50 grams walnuts, chopped
50 grams dried blueberries
5 grams spring onion, minced
5 grams flat-leaf parsley, minced
3 grams fresh sage, chopped
3 grams fresh basil, chopped
3 grams fresh thyme leaves
30 ml. olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
For the Blueberry Balsamic Glaze:
240 grams canned blueberries
100 ml. balsamic vinegar
15 grams brown sugar
3 grams fresh basil
3 grams fresh thyme leaves
Salt and pepper to taste
Procedure:
1. Combine all ingredients for the Blueberry Balsamic Glaze. Simmer to slightly thicken. Set aside.
2. Cut pork belly crosswise in half, but not all the way, to butterfly the meat. Create criss-cross cuts on the surface at around 1/2-inch deep. Set aside.
3. Combine all ingredients for the filling and toss to combine. Spread on the cut side of the pork belly and spread. Roll the pork belly with the filling inside while the skin side out.
4. Tie pork belly with a butcher’s twine.
5. Preheat oven to 180°C (deck) or 160°C (convection).
6. Place pork on a cooling rack lined with a baking tray.
7. Bake for 30 minutes and then generously baste the whole surface with its own fat. Do this 2 to 3 times to reach 1 to 1 1/2 hours of cooking time. (Check internal temperature and make sure it is at 65°C).
8. Bring up the heat to 200°C (deck) or 180°C (convection) and cook it for another 20 to 30 minutes to cook the skin.
9. Remove from oven and cover with foil. Rest the meat for 15 minutes before slicing and serving.
10. For a crispier skin, pour some hot oil (180C) on the skin surface to make it blister and pop before slicing.
*Yield: 3 to 4 servings.
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