“Sharing food with another human being is an intimate act that should not be indulged in lightly.”
M.F.K. Fisher
We were yet again bless with many great souls who came and enjoy another lovely meal with the [ Salt / Water ] staff. It was especially great theme consider the weather as of late here in a cosy little corner of northeast Iowa.
Course 1
Course 2
Course 4
Course 3
As a Special Bonus I will included the recipe for the favor course of the night, Roasted Red and Yellow Pepper Soup, Roasted Pork Belly, Lime Zest.
Pork Belly:
1 6- 8 lb whole Pork belly, I prefer skin off
1/4 C Kosher Salt
3/4 C Sugar
Mix together salt and sugar. Place the pork belly in a deep container that hold the entire belly. Coat one side of belly evenly with half of the salt/sugar mixture, flip over and cover with the rest of the mix. Allow to cure for 24 hrs in the refridgator or at least 6hrs minimum.
Heat your oven to 500 degrees. Remove pork from fridge, leaving behind any excess liquid. Again place the pork belly in a roasting pan that can hold it in a single layer. Roast in the oven at 500 degrees for 1 1/2 hrs to 2 hrs, this will render out a lot of fat. Reduce hear to 350 F degrees and allow to roast for another hour. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Once cool, remove pork from rendered fat and wrap well with plastic wrap in several layers. Allow to cool in the fridge for several hours, this will help with neat slices.
Note: DO NOT THROW AWAY all that delicious fat and liquid gold at the bottom. The fat can be used to fry potatoes and the like. The liquid gold is a great base for stews, soups, sauces… instant deliciousness
Straight out of the oven Pork Belly
Roasted Pepper Soup
2 Cans of Roasted Red Pepper
1/2 Onion, minced
4 Garlic cloves, minced
2 Limes, zest and juice
2 C White Wine
2 C Water or Stock
4 T oil
4 T smoked paprika
In a large pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add garlic and onions and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add roasted peppers and continue to cook for 20 minutes to allow the peppers to break down. Add wine and water, bring to boil and reduce to simmer and continue to cook for another 20 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly. Blend soup until very smooth and creamy. Add paprika, lime juice and zest. Adjust seasonings with salt/pepper and more lime if needed.
Roasted Yellow Pepper Coulis
1 can Roasted yellow pepper
1 clove garlic
1 1/2 C oil
juice of 1/2 Lemon
salt
Place all ingredients in a blender and blend on high until thick and emulsified, adding more oil if need. Adjust seasoning and reserve.
To Serve:
2C Roasted Pepper Soup
2T Roasted Yellow Pepper Coulis
2 Thick Slices of Pork Belly
Zest of 1 Lime
Pinch of Smoked Paprika
Heat soup over low heat until warm. In a saute pan, heat the pork belly on both sides until well crisped. Ladle soup into a bowl, place both slices of pork belly on top, soup a little of the coulis around the bowl. Sprinkle with lime zest, paprika and tiny bit of salt. Serve and enjoy!
Thanks again and we hope to see you soon! And be sure to check out more photos on Instagram; Driftlessfood.
[ Salt / Water ] Staff
[ Salt / Water ] 