Ingredients

• 150g/5½oz demerara sugar
• 200g/7oz sea salt
• 1 tbsp black peppercorns
• 2 cloves
• 1 bay leaf
• sprig fresh thyme
• 1kg/2lb 4oz thick piece boned pork belly
• skin scored (a butcher can do this for you)
• oil
• for frying
• 70g/2½oz bacon
• diced
• 1 onion
• finely chopped
• 1 tbsp herbes de provence
• 200g/7oz Puy lentils
• 175ml/6fl oz white wine
• 400ml/14fl oz chicken stock
• 25g/1oz fresh mint
• leaves picked
• 25g/1oz fresh parsley
• leaves picked
• 50g/1¾oz cavolo nero
• 2 garlic cloves
• peeled and grated
• 10g salted anchovies
• roughly chopped
• 35g/1¼oz capers
• drained
• roughly chopped
• 1 shallot
• very finely chopped
• 1 tsp salt
• ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 lemon
• zest only
• 150ml/5fl oz olive oil

Directions

• Bring 1litre/1¾ pint of water and all of the brine ingredients to the boil. Make sure the sugar and salt have dissolved
• then remove from the heat and leave to cool.
• Place the pork belly in a plastic container with a lid. Pour the brine over the pork to cover and seal the container with the lid. Transfer to the fridge for 24 hours.
• Remove the pork belly from the brine and pat dry.
• Preheat the oven to 150C/300F/Gas 2.
• Place the pork belly onto a wire rack suspended over a baking tray. Roast in the oven for 2½-3 hours
• or until crisp and golden-brown. Once cooked
• allow the pork to rest for at least 30 minutes.
• Heat a little oil in a saucepan set over a medium heat and add the bacon. Cook until crisp
• then remove the bacon and add the onion to the pan. Fry until soft and translucent.
• Return the bacon to the pan. Stir in the herbs de provence and the lentils and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add the white wine and bring to the boil. Pour in the chicken stock and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat and cook for 30 minutes
• or until the lentils are just soft.
• For the salsa
• blanch the mint and parsley in a pan of boiling water for a minute. Remove from the pan
• keeping the water boiling
• and plunge into ice-cold water. Add the cabbage leaves to the boiling water and after two minutes place in the cold water with the herbs. When the leaves are cold
• drain them thoroughly and squeeze to remove any excess water.
• Chop together the cabbage
• mint leaves and parsley leaves. Add the grated garlic
• chopped anchovies and capers. Put this mixture into a bowl with the chopped shallot
• salt
• cayenne pepper and lemon zest. Mix in the olive oil to make a rough salsa.
• To serve
• slice the pork
• spoon the lentils into a large serving bowl and serve with the salsa.