I’m sure my wife is completely confused by some of my ideas at first but in the end they mostly work. This is one of them. Miso paste is easy to find now – a fermented soy bean paste adding a salty and sweet flavour much more gentle than soy sauce. The first time I had this was with cod and I was confused by this new flavour. I’ve found it works really well with pork.
To compile this dish you need something special and so the this unusual recipe came about. Pearl barley gives a nutty taste. Kale whittled though the barley gives an earthly flavour. Roasted halzenuts add texture and taste. Adding garlic to the mix brings everything together in harmony in a way that rarely happens.
Serves: 2. Time: 50 minutes
2 tablespoons of miso paste
1 tablespoon of honey
150g of pearl barley
100g of Kale
40g of hazelnuts
4 thick slices of Pork Belly
1 clove of garlic
- Mix the honey and miso together and coat the pork belly. If possible leave this to marinate for an hour.
- Add the pearl barley to a pot with 450ml of water and the garlic and simmer for 45 minutes until soft.
- Meanwhile cook the pork belly for 30 minutes at 180 degrees Celsius in the oven or under the grill until the fat crisps.
- Roast the hazelnuts in the oven for 5 minutes making sure they don’t burn. Crush lightly in a mortar and pestle.
- Add the kale to the pot with the pearl barley and allow to wilt in the pot for 5 minutes. Add half the hazelnuts and stir. Either remove the garlic clove or break up in the mix.
- Plate the pearl barley mixture and pork belly. Sprinkle with remaining hazelnuts.
Recipes from my kitchen, Edinburgh, Scotland 