Peppercorn Braised Berkshire Pork Belly, Parsnip Puree & HimalaSalted Cucumber Salad
Ingredients
Walking into the Red Lion Inn at Christmas, the traditional decorations, greenery and huge tree are enough to turn Scrooge into a holiday lover. Even more surprising was the chef, Brian Alberg is not just cool, he's hip, pierced, goateed, and talented!
Peppercorn Braised Berkshire Pork Belly
Parsnip Puree & HimalaSalted Cucumber Salad
Serves 4
1 lb. fresh pork belly
1Tbs. sweet soy sauce
1Tbs. soy sauce
1 orange, zested & juiced
2 Tbs. Crushed Organic Peppercorns
1 Tsp. HimalaSalt
Cut belly into 4 cubes and marinate with above ingredients overnight. Remove from marinade and sear cubes on all sides until golden brown. Place in ovenproof container and pour marinade over, cover and place in a 250 degree oven for 3 hours or until tender. Remove from fatty liquid and pour off the fat, reserve the sauce that settles under the fat.
1 lb. parsnips peeled and diced
2 Tbs. unsalted butter
HimalaSalt to taste
Boil parsnips until tender and place in a food processor with butter and salt; puree until smooth.
½ European cucumber, thinly sliced
1 Tsp. Himala alt
1 Tbs. rice wine vinegar
1 Tbs. chopped fresh cilantro
Thinly slice cucumbers on a mandolin. Mix with salt, vinegar & cilantro.
Assemble the pork belly on top of the parsnip puree and spoon sauce over top. Place cucumber salad on the side of the plate and sprinkle with crushed mixed peppers for taste and garnish.
Recipes developed by Chef Brian Alberg of The Red Lion Inn, Stockbridge, MA, the quintessential New England village, is home to the Norman Rockwell Museum, 4 minutes to Tanglewood-summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, The Berkshire Theater Festival, Naumkeg, the famous Red Lion Inn, and a lot of very cool people.
