This over-the-top main dish features rich pork belly cooked sous vide and then fried to create a crispy exterior, topped with a deep and complex sauce. To save time and labor, use a Sysco Classic Sous Vide Pork Belly, instead of starting from scratch. And you can take some short-cuts with the sauce as well.
Ingredients
CRISPY PORK BELLY
MANCHAMANTEL SAUCE
GARNISH
Directions
FOR THE CRISPY PORK
- In a large bowl, coat the pork belly with the cure spices and the honey and toss to coat evenly.
- Place in a nonreactive container, cover and refrigerate for 24 hours.
- Heat a sous vide circulator to 160 degrees. Remove the pork from the cure, rinse and pat dry. Vacuum-seal pork belly with the rendered fat. Submerge the sealed pork into a preheated water bath and cook for 24 hours.
- Remove pork from water bath and let rest for 15 minutes. Plunge into an ice bath and chill for 20 to 30 minutes. Refrigerate until completely chilled.
- Alternatively, instead of using a circulator, heat an oven to 250 degrees. Place pork belly in a hotel pan and cover with rendered fat. Bring to a simmer on the stovetop, then place in the oven and cook, uncovered, until pork is forktender, three to four hours.
- To make the dish even quicker and easier, use a precooked pork belly, such as Sysco Imperial Sous Vide Pork Belly.
FOR THE MANCHAMANTEL SAUCE
- Heat your oven to 350 degrees. Place chilies in a cast-iron skillet and toast both sides, being careful not to burn them.
- Bring a quart of cold water to a boil and add the chilies. Lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Drain and set aside.
- Toss banana, apple and pineapple with brown sugar and roast in a large pan for 10 to 15 minutes. Add tomatoes to the fruit mixture and roast 10 minutes longer.
- Place chilies, fruit mixture, cinnamon, vinegar, cloves, and salt in a food processor and purée until smooth. Add a little water if necessary to thin the sauce slightly. Strain if desired.
- Place oil or lard in a deep skillet. Heat until almost smoking and add the sauce. Fry for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring constantly. (Makes 3 cups of sauce.)
- To serve, warm the sauce and set it aside. Warm the poblano corn and set it aside. Divide the pork belly into 4 ounce portions.
- Heat the oil to almost smoking. Reduce the heat to medium and sauté the pork belly until it's browned on all sides and warmed through.
- Divide sauce among plates, top with pork belly. Garnish with corn, chayote squash, pearl onions, fried plantain chips and diced pineapple.
