Choco-licious pork belly

This dish takes its cue from the great Mexican ‘mole’ sauces. The word chocolate evokes excitement for kids…the word chilli does it for me.

INGREDIENTS

1 carrot, quartered

2 onions, quartered

4 large garlic cloves

1 x 1kg boneless pork belly, skin left on and scored

2 teaspoons salt

CHOCO-LICIOUS SAUCE

1 cinnamon stick

3 tablespoons blanched almonds

2 tablespoons brown sugar

50g dark chocolate

4 store-bought soft corn tortillas

INGREDIENTS FOR ADULTS

1 whole dried chipotle chilli

1 whole dried ancho chilli

CORIANDER AND LIME RICE

370g white rice, steamed

handful coriander leaves, chopped

2 tablespoons lime juice

1 small red chilli, seeded and finely chopped

salt

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Put the carrot, onions and garlic in a roasting tin. Rub the pork all over with salt, and place it on the vegetables. Pour enough water into the tin so the level rises to just under halfway up the pork belly. Cover the tin with foil and bake for around 1¼ hours.

Remove the foil and increase the heat to 220°C. Cook the pork for about 15 minutes, or until the skin crackles. Remove the pork to a tray and rest. Reserve 500 ml of the roasting tin juices for the choco-licious sauce. Discard the solids.

In a frying pan over a medium heat, toast the cinnamon stick and almonds, stirring constantly, for about 5–6 minutes, or until the almonds are golden and the cinnamon is fragrant. Allow to cool, then finely chop in a small food processor or blender. Add the sugar and chocolate then pulse again. Divide the mixture and set half aside.

DISH ONE

In a saucepan, bring 250 ml of the reserved roasting juices to the boil, then reduce the heat to low. Add one portion of the chocolate mixture and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 3 minutes, or until the chocolate melts. Cook for a further 3 minutes, or until the sauce thickens. Serve slices of the pork in warmed corn tortillas and drizzle with the chocolate sauce.

DISH TWO

In a saucepan, bring the remaining roasting tin juices and the chillies to the boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 4 minutes. Add the remaining chocolate mixture and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate melts. Cook for a further 3 minutes, or until the sauce thickens. Strain the sauce and keep warm.

To make the coriander and lime rice, combine the rice, coriander, lime juice and chilli, and season with salt. Serve the rice with slices of pork, drizzled with the choco-licious sauce.

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