Crispy breast, parsnips two ways, peanuts & Thai basil

You'll have to be patient, but this recipe is economical and easy. Discover A.Léa's crispy pork belly, followed by parsnips, peanuts and Thai basil, by Léa Lestage.

serves 5

Preparation time: 1 h 30

Cooking time: 1 h 40

Resting time : 24 h

1 kg pork belly with rind
1.5 kg coarse salt
3 egg whites
1 tbsp spices of your choice (curry, 5 flavors, ras el-hanout...)
3 tbsp. white vinegar
3 tbsp. sunflower oil
Salt
10 parsnips
olive oil
Thyme
1 clove garlic
2 lemongrass sticks
2 shallots
20 g fresh ginger
Butter
Thai basil
A handful of salted peanuts

1 - 24 h in advance, prepare the crispy brisket: mix the spices with the sunflower oil to make the marinade. Score the brisket crosswise, making 5 cuts to allow the marinade to penetrate. Portion the breast into 5 pieces, taking care to cut only into the flesh and stop short of the fat and rind.

- Brush the meat with the marinade. Set aside in a cool dish, rind side up.

- Mix the white vinegar and salt in a bowl. Brush over the rind.

- Set aside in a cool place for 24 h. Do not film, as the rind will air-dry.

2 - Prepare the parsnips in two ways:

- Preheat the oven to 180°C (gas mark 6). In an ovenproof dish, prepare 5 parsnips en papillotes: wash the parsnips, brush with olive oil, sprinkle with thyme and garlic, and season with salt. Wrap in aluminum foil. Bake for 35-45 min. The parsnips should melt in the oven but still hold together. Once cooked, cut into 2 lengthways.

- Peel 5 parsnips and cut into medium-sized cubes. Peel the ginger and chop coarsely. Tap the lemongrass to release its juice, then cut into 3. In a saucepan, sauté the chopped shallots, ginger and lemongrass in a knob of butter. Add the parsnip and leave to confire. If necessary, add a little chicken stock or water. Once the parsnip is cooked, remove the lemongrass pieces and blend to obtain a purée. You can add a dab of fresh butter while blending to obtain a smooth texture. Reserve in a pocket.

3 - Cooking the pork: preheat the oven to 200°C (gas mark 6-7) on fan convection. Using a sharp knife, make a multitude of small holes in the surface of the rind. This will allow the rind to breathe as the fat rises to the top. The more holes, the crispier the rind.

- In a bowl, mix the coarse salt and egg whites to make a crust for cooking the meat. Line a baking dish with this mixture. Place the meat (flesh side down) and wrap in the coarse salt. Cooking in a salt crust will keep the meat juicy. Bake the pork belly for 40 min. Remove the meat from the oven and remove the crust. Leave the oven at 200°C and switch to grill mode. Place the pork belly in the oven for 15 min, keeping an eye on it as it cooks. This is when the rind will puff up and become crispy. Remove the meat from the oven and let it air-dry.

4 - Presentation: place half a parsnip on each plate. Using a piping bag, pipe small dots of purée over the parsnip to cover it. Arrange a few Thai basil leaves and peanuts on top. You can grate some lemon zest on top. Slice the crispy pork belly and place on the plates. Serve with jus.

Read Gault&Millau's review of A.Léa

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