After this week’s freezing temperatures, chill winds and cold weather alerts this week, I am sure you are in need of a warm, comforting dish. At this time of year, a hint of spice helps to brighten my mood, and hopefully it will brighten yours too.
After all, the Christmas lights are lit in Belfast so it’s time to lean into the festive spirit which is a time of joy and merry moods. But of course, it can be stressful always feeding family, friends and guests at this time of year. So, this is your reminder to take it slow and focus on the joy of cooking.
Pork belly is a great dish when done well, but it may take more than one attempt to get the desired result, so give yourself some grace and keep trying. This rum and raisin bread pudding is an elevated version of bread pudding, one of my all-time favourite desserts from Gary Rhodes, a great mentor and boss. Happy cooking.
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Pork Belly & Spiced Plum Sauce
Ingredients
(Serves 6)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp sea salt
- 1kg boneless pork belly, scored across skin from side-to-side
For the plum sauce:
- 400g ripe plums, stoned and quartered
- 90g light brown sugar
- 125ml red wine vinegar
- 3 whole dried chillis
- 1 star anise
- 1 stick cinnamon
More: Soups that will become a family staple - Niall McKenna’s recipes
Method
- Start by preheating the oven to 180C.
- Score the pork belly and rub with the oil, then continue to rub with the salt. Place the pork belly skin-side down on a baking tray and roast for one hour.
- Increase temperature of oven to 200C. Turn the pork belly over and cook for a further hour and 20 minutes. The skin should be golden and crispy, if not, leave in the oven a little longer.
- Remove from the oven, cover and leave to rest. Now it’s time to slice and serve.
- For the sauce, place the sugar, vinegar and spices into a pot on a high heat. It is best to use a non-stick pan.
- Bring ingredients to a simmer and then add in the plums. Cook for 10 minutes while stirring. You want the plums to be soft and broken into a reduced sticky sauce.
- Pour the sauce over the pork belly and enjoy.
More: Watch Niall McKenna make it easy: How to make a tasty veg-packed curry
Rum and Raisin Bread and Butter Pudding
Ingredients
- 550ml milk
- 3 tbsp butter
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 50g brown sugar
- 3 tbsp of rum
- 30g raisins
- 7 slices brioche bread, cubed or torn. Old croissants, torn, can be substituted
- 4 eggs, beaten
Method
- Preheat oven to 180C.
- In a large saucepan, add milk, butter, vanilla, cinnamon, brown sugar, rum and raisins. Heat until the ingredients are warm. Simmer and stir until the sugar dissolves.
- Leave to cool and then add in the whisked eggs. Mix thoroughly.
- In a large bowl, add the bread and pour in the milk mixture. Let this sit for 30 minutes until the bread absorbs the milk mixture. Place in oven and bake for 50 minutes.
- Serve and enjoy.
