That Pig Salad!


For those in the know ~ this recipe is for the fabulous ‘crispy Pork Salad’ many fell in love with during our bistro days! I think the secret is the orange and the Vietnamese mint! .......  This recipe is also gluten free.



Pork Preparation - serves 4
Ask your butcher to cut you the meatiest piece of belly pork possible - allow about a 1kg piece. If you are catering for more than 4 people allow around 200 grams (raw weight) per person as the meat does shrink during the cooking process.

If you don’t have a sharp knife get the butcher to score the skin for you about 1cm apart and across as well. This will make cutting the pork easier when it is cooked. See the pictures above!

Wipe the  skin dry with a clean paper towel. Season the skin with a little cumin and coriander powder, salt and pepper. Rub these condiments into the cracks of the skin and liberally on the belly flesh on the underside of the cut.

Lay, skin side up in a baking paper lined baking tray, sprinkle with a little good olive oil and grind some black pepper.

Put into a hot oven 200 degrees C. until the skin crackles and the meat is done - approx. 1 hour per Kg.

When the pork is cooked take it out of the oven and let it stand.  It is best if you let the pork cool over night in the fridge - it is easier to cut the next day.

Cut the pork into small serving pieces approx 4cm x 1cm or to your desired size and set aside until you are ready to construct the salad.

The Addictive Dressing
You can make the dressing while the meat is cooking or you can make the dressing the day before.  You will have some of this dressing left, put it into a sterile glass jar with a lid - it will keep in the fridge for approximately 4 to 5 days and can also double as a green Thai/Vietnamese  dressing/curry paste. 

In a good blender measure (you want this dressing to be well blended - no big chunky bits):
 TIP - if the dressing is too stiff after adding your green herbs, add a small amount of extra olive oil through the top of the blender - not too much though as you do want it to be the consistency of mayonnaise.

• 300 mls good olive oil or if you prefer a canola or sunflower seed oil.
• 2 or 3 drops of Sesame Seed oil - be very careful as this has a powerful taste and you only need a little bit!
• 5 small red birds eye chili or more if you like it hotter
• 6 Kaffir Lime leaves
• 4 tblsp of a good Thai fish sauce
• 2 tblsp sugar
• Chop roughly approx. a 4cm piece of fresh root ginger or if you have it galangal
• Peel and add at least half a head of garlic - at least 8 or 9 pieces
• Wash a bunch of Coriander and pull the leaves away from the roots to ensure there is no sand left on the bunch - put the roots and the leaves into the blender.
• Pick half a bunch of Vietnamese mint and wash and add
• Wash and quarter and orange and put skin and all into the blender!

I do think these last two ingredients are the secret to the flavour of this dressing - there it is out!

• To garnish - have ready a small handful of cashew nuts to heat with the final preparation of the pork ~ see instructions below. These are optional and if you are allergic to nuts don't worry about them.
  

The Salad Itself
Choose salad greens and asian vegetables such as kang kong torn to bit size, white radish thinly julienne, wombok finely sliced - plus some baby spinach and if you like the buds of baby cos lettuce, these are not asian but they add crunch.

We added slices of Roma tomatoes for flavour and colour at the restaurant.


Constructing It
Toss all the leaves together in a bowl, with about 1 tblsp of olive oil and a small squeeze of lemon, remember your green dressing goes on top and provides all the flavour you need! Bundle/pile them onto each plate. Arrange the baby spinach in a circle around the outside interspersed with the tomatoes. See the finished salad photo shoot below!

Finishing the Pork and the Cashew Nuts
Just before constructing the salad, spray a hot pan with oil and put the pork pieces into the pan to warm and brown and crackle up just a little. Put a small hand full of cashew nuts x 1 per serve, into the pan and let them warm and brown as well!

When you have the pork and nuts warm and crispy - put a spoonful of the Thai dressing per person - into the pan on top of the pork and toss the pork in the mix, letting it sizzle and bind together for approx. 1 minute - take straight from the pan and arrange on the salad. You can add more dressing to the final servings if you wish for a stronger flavour.

Photos and more recipes will be added to the website over the next few weeks - hope you enjoy. W   Any questions - eMail wyn@wynvogel.com