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Pork Belly Midnight Snacks and Pork Off 2011 - Deadline Extended to June

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Sometimes, at night, I get cravings for something savoury to nibble on. A packet of Salt 'n' Shake crisps will usually do the trick but sometimes, more drastic measures are needed.

Times like these, I'll crack out a piece of pork belly from the fridge (yes, I do always have one in there) and I'll roast it using the method in my recipe here.

I'll change the seasoning depending on my fancy and what's in my cupboard - caraway and thyme, maple syrup and paprika, pomegranate molasses and ras el hanout, miso and shiso sprinkles, honey and black pepper, or just soy, ginger and garlic.

And then I'll chop the crisp yet wibbly pork belly into fat chunks, fling them into a bowl and chomp away on the piggy morsels as if they were popcorn or peanuts, but oh so much better.

Making it takes a little while, but it's worth the wait. Pork heaven. Pork bliss.

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Talking of pork bliss, I'm one of the judges for Pork Off 2011. "What's that?" I hear you cry.

Pork Off 2011
is a challenge to create the porkiest dish imagineable and to write about it or blog it by Thursday 30 June 2011 with a link to the official Pork Off website http://porkoff2011.weebly.com/.

The best porkmeisters will be invited to recreate their dishes for the judges at the final Pork Off to be held at Galoupet in London at a date to be arranged, for a prize yet to be announced but undoubtedly glamourous.

Rules of entry and the form to sign up to Pork Off 2011 are here
- please enter so I may feed my greedy pork-loving face on your ingenuity. If you do take part and you're on Twitter, use the hashtag #porkoff2011 so everyone can follow the fun.

Let the porking begin ...

Comments

Food Urchin said…
A deadline! See that's what I was looking for. Right ok....er.........pork, porky pork.......umm
Sasa said…
I raise my hat to a woman who "always has pork belly in her fridge." Must take a while to roast it off though, don't you get impatient? My cravings are of the feral, fulfil me NOW kind...
meemalee said…
@Food Urchin - Yeah!

@Sasa - I still eat the crisps while waiting for the pork. Knowing that goodness is coming quiets the hunger just long enough :)
Anonymous said…
So glad its not just me who has these late night pig cravings! I cut my pork belly into cubes, flash fry it and then roast it gently as I'm always too impatient to wait for it to cook in the piece! Pork off 2011 here I come....
PDH said…
Right best pull my finger out and get erm... Porking!
The Grubworm said…
PORK!! POOOOORRRRKKK! porkporkpork.

Ummmm, sorry, got a little bit excited there. I love that pork belly is meemalee staple. Such a common-sense idea when you think about it. And I think about it (food in general, and pork in particular) a lot.

Loving the seasonings you use there too,necessity is the mother of invention, miso & shiso and maple syrup & paprika in particular would work so well. The thought of that (and the pictures) have started my mouth a-watering. And I've just finished a full plate of Vietnamese bun (pork, naturally).
meemalee said…
@souperior - Nice technique! Will remember that for next time :)

@Pavel - Bring the pork!

@the Grubworm - It's ok, we're all a little bit excited about this!

I just went to City Caphe because of you and Catty.

Oink!
German said…
Yep, pork belly at the next day like in a easy sandwich just taste like heaven
mzungu said…
A porkoff is the sort of the things we need....
Do love the fact that you have a pork belly in your fridge... Very impressed .....
Auuuugh, that's filthy-good. The blogging equivalent of Nigella sneaking down to her fridge at the end of an episode...
Lisa Cookwitch said…
I am making this now. I have left out the harissa as we don't like it, but it still smells divine so far! Ras el Hanout is lovely.
Mister Truffle said…
I can confirm, I will be Porking it up big time next weekend for a competition entry! Yum.
meemalee said…
@mzungu - Why thank you and yes - more porkoffs :)

@Katy Salter - Ha, I'm too gluttonous to do sensual ;p

@Lisa - I love your variation!

@Mister Truffle - Excellent! And note the extension of the deadline to the end of June!
Mmmm...these look awesome. I have to try these out.