WhitsAmuseBouche

July 11, 2012

Braised Pork Belly with Parmesan Gnocchi

Anyone ever ask you what your last meal would be?  You know, you’re in prison and they are about to send you on your way, and you get to choose what your last dinner is?

Or you just so happen to know the day you’re going to die so you have your last feast all ironed out?

Guys, if you aren’t thinking about this yet, you might want to flesh this out.  You never know when you may know that it’s your last dinner.

I actually have a fool proof plan to prepare for this whole last dinner deal.  You just eat what you would want your last dinner to be, every single day. Just in case, ya know?

That way, your bases are always covered, and you’re happier than a pig in shit every single day.

These are the life lessons you learn when you read this blog. Did someone mention pig?  Because it just so happens that my last dinner is this very dish.  It is your lucky day.  I won’t lie, this is time intensive. But it is so so worth it.  Excellence can’t be rushed and honestly, if this is your last dinner, might as well earn it!

Braised Pork Belly with Parmesan Gnocchi

By Whitney, July 11, 2012

Braised Pork Belly with Parmesan Gnocchi

Ingredients:

Instructions:

Make the gnocchi: Combine flour, Parmesan cheese and lemon zest in bowl. Add Ricotta cheese and egg. Mix well with wooden spoon or your fingers until dough just comes together. Scrape dough onto a well-floured surface and form into a ball. Cut dough into fourths, using bench scraper or knife. Gently roll each piece into foot-long ropes, about an inch in diameter.  Place dough on lightly floured baking sheet and refrigerate for up to two hours.  After rested, cut into 1/2-inch pieces with bench scraper.\ For the pork belly: Preheat the oven to 275°. Heat the oil in a large dutch oven. Season the pork belly with salt and pepper and cook over moderate heat until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Add the carrot, onion, pearl onions and celery to the dutch oven and cook, stirring until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Return the pork to the dutch. Add the demiglace, water, thyme, parsley, bay leaves and peppercorns and bring to a simmer. Cover and bake for about 4 hours, or until the meat is fork-tender and the juices are reduced to 1 cup. Strain the pan juices and skim off the fat. Boil the juices until reduced to 1/2 cup, about 10 minutes.  Take the pork belly and cook skin side down over medium low heat for 20 minutes in a skillet, until the skin is crisp and the fat is totally rendered. Season well with salt and pepper. Finish the gnocchi: Heat butter over medium-high heat in sauté pan large enough to accommodate all gnocchi. Cook until brown and crisped on all sides, 5-6 minutes. When gnocchi are almost cooked, lower heat to medium and add shallot and sage leaves. Add garlic, and lemon juice.  Once thickened slightly, add 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese and parsley leaves. Toss to coat gnocchi. Separate the brussel sprout leaves and quickly fry in hot olive oil.  Drain and garnish the plate.

Love,

Whit

 

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Whitney

About Whitney

Whitney is the Founder of Whit's Amuse Bouche, a nationally recognized food and humor blog. When she's not in the kitchen, you can find her with a glass of california cabernet in one hand and a hot glue gun in the other. She prefers sweat pants to real ones. View all posts by Whitney →

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