OnTap Magazine

Prep Add all the ingredients for the marinade to a blender and blend until fine. Trim the rind from the pork belly and marinade for three hours or overnight. Coulis To make the coulis, sauté the diced red onion in 1 tbsp of olive oil, along with the thyme sprigs and bay leaves, until the onions are translucent. Add the tinned guava halves to the pan, keeping the syrup to one side for later use. Cook the guava and onions on a medium heat while breaking the guava into chunks. Once all the moisture is cooked off, take out the bay leaves and thyme sprigs and remove the pan from the heat to cool. Once cooled, blend along with the honey/molasses, white wine vinegar, soy sauce, paprika and remaining olive oil. Transfer the puree back to the pan, add ½ cup of water and cook at a medium heat for 10-20 minutes, in order to reduce and caramelise the sauce, deepening the flavour and colour. Just take care not to burn the sauce. Add the passion fruit juice and syrup from the guava. Season to taste. Pork belly Preheat the oven to 160°C. Rinse the marinade off the pork belly and pat dry. Score the fat on top of the belly in a diamond pattern, and season with salt, pepper and paprika. Bake for 90 minutes, then remove from oven. Baste with about half of the coulis, making sure the pork is covered in order to develop an even glaze, then bake for another 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 10—20 minutes before slicing. Serving Assemble the salad and dress with the passion fruit vinaigrette. Slice the pork belly to desired thickness, baste with the remaining coulis, and grill in the oven for two minutes each side. METHOD ontapmag.co.za | Summer 2022 | 51