Filipino Roast Pork Belly with "Lechon" Sauce
Best known in their deep-fried iteration, lumpia often crackle beneath the teeth. But not always; some come wrapped in fresh egg crepes, while others are wrapper-less. Connoisseurs pine for a version made with shrimp, pork, and shredded coconut palm. The freshly fried version is a marvel, the wrapper crisp, the filling's texture delicate and yielding. Instead of the common sweet-sour dipping sauce, chef Dale Talde opts for the condiment he used growing up—a mixture of vinegar and soy sauce spiked with raw garlic and fiery chiles—which he likens to the salt and pepper of Filipino food.
MAKES ABOUT 2 DOZEN
45 MINUTES
For the rolls
1 lb. ground pork
1⁄2 cup minced yellow onion
1⁄2 cup minced carrot
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 1⁄2 tsp. kosher salt, plus more
1⁄4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 14-oz. package 6-inch square spring roll wrappers, preferably TYJ brand
1 large egg, lightly beaten, for egg wash
Vegetable oil for frying
For the dipping sauce
1 cup white vinegar
1⁄4 cup soy sauce
2 tbsp. sugar
3⁄4 tsp. black peppercorns
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 red Thai chiles, stemmed and thinly sliced
Instructions
In a medium bowl, combine the pork with the onion, carrot, garlic, salt, and pepper and mix with your hands until evenly combined. Position 1 spring roll wrapper in front of you like a diamond (so that a point is facing you), and place 1 tablespoon of filling on the diamond's bottom half. Lift the point nearest you and wrap it around the filling. Fold the east and west corners in toward the center, brush the north tip with some of the beaten egg, and continue rolling into a tight cylinder. Transfer to a parchment paper—lined baking sheet and repeat with the remaining wrappers and filling.
Make the dipping sauce: In a small jar, combine the vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, peppercorns, garlic, and chiles. Shake to mix.
Pour oil to a depth of 2 inches in a 6-quart Dutch oven, attach a deep-fry thermometer to the side of the pan, and heat to 350°. Working in batches, add the spring rolls to the oil and fry until golden brown and the filling is cooked, about 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the lumpia to paper towels to drain. Season with salt and serve while hot with the garlic-chile vinegar sauce.
Slow-roasted belly stands in for the classic whole suckling pig that graces virtually every special occasion in the Philippines. Chef Dale Talde also swaps out the sauce's pungent pork liver for more mellow and easier to source chicken livers. Don't worry, though. It still tastes, as Talde lovingly puts it, like “liverwurst mixed with sweet and sour sauce.”
SERVES 8
5 HOURS
Ingredients
1 tbsp. plus 2 tsp. kosher salt
3 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
7 garlic cloves
3 lemongrass stalks, roughly chopped
2 bunches scallions, trimmed
1 5-lb. piece skin-on pork belly, skin scored in a crosshatch pattern
1 lb. chicken livers
1⁄4 cup plus 2 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 small yellow onion, diced
3⁄4 cup white vinegar
1⁄2 cup sugar
3 tbsp. bread crumbs
Instructions
Heat oven to 325°. Combine 1 tablespoon salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, 4 garlic cloves, the lemongrass, and 1 bunch scallions in a food processor; purée until smooth. Rub mixture over pork belly and place in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish; roast for 3 1⁄2 hours. Increase temperature to 550° and continue cooking until the skin is crispy, 20 minutes more.
Meanwhile, purée the chicken livers until smooth. Roughly chop remaining garlic; heat 1⁄4 cup oil in a medium saucepan and cook garlic and onion until golden, about 12 minutes. Add liver and cook until brown, about 5 minutes. Add the vinegar and sugar and cook 5 minutes more. Add the remaining salt and 2 teaspoons black pepper, plus the bread crumbs, and cook 2–3 minutes. Transfer to a blender and purée until smooth. Keep “lechon” sauce warm.
Heat a grill pan over medium-high. Toss remaining scallions with remaining oil; grill until charred, 6–8 minutes.
Transfer pork to a platter and serve with “lechon” sauce and grilled scallions.
broccoli-spinach soup with avocado toasts
No cream required: Tahini gives this soup its buttery flavor and silky texture -- and makes a serving of dark leafy greens unusually enticing. Sliced avocado dressed with lemon and sprouts jazzes up ordinary crusty bread and rounds out this balanced meal.
ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- 1 leek, white and pale green parts thinly sliced
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken stock or water
- 1 bunch broccoli, chopped (6 cups)
- 6 ounces baby spinach (6 cups)
- 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan
- 2 tablespoons tahini
- Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 4 slices rustic bread, toasted
- 2 avocados, sliced
- 1/4 cup radish sprouts
- 1 lemon, cut into wedges
directions
1.
Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add leek and cook until tender, about 4 minutes. Add stock; bring to a boil. Add broccoli and cook, covered, until bright green and tender, about 2 minutes.
2.
Remove from heat. Stir in spinach, Parmesan, and tahini. Let cool slightly. Season with salt and pepper.
3.
Working in batches, puree soup in a blender until smooth.
4.
Top bread with avocado and radish sprouts. Season with salt and pepper, squeeze with lemon, and drizzle with oil.
extra buzz
Italian style meatballs with courgette ‘tagliatelle’
This flavourful dish of Italian meatballs has a healthy twist by using courgette ribbons instead of pasta — an easy way to reduce calories.
As part of an Intermittent diet plan, 1 serving provides 3 of your 6 daily vegetable portions.
This meal provides 219 kcal per portion.
As part of an Intermittent diet plan, 1 serving provides 3 of your 6 daily vegetable portions.
This meal provides 219 kcal per portion.
Ingredients
For the meatballs
- 250g/9oz extra lean beef mince (5% fat or less)
- 1 small onion, very finely chopped
- 1 tsp dried mixed herbs
- calorie controlled cooking oil spray
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- 227g/8oz can chopped tomatoes
- 2 heaped tbsp finely shredded fresh basil leaves, plus extra to garnish
For the courgette ‘tagliatelle’
- 2 medium courgettes, trimmed and deseeded
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
- Place the beef, half the onion, half the mixed herbs and a pinch of salt and pepper in a bowl and mix well. Form into 10 small balls.
- Spray a medium non-stick frying pan with a little oil and cook the meatballs for 5-7 minutes, turning occasionally until browned on all sides. Transfer to a plate.
- For the sauce, put the remaining onion in the same pan and cook over a low heat for three minutes, stirring. Add the garlic and cook for a few seconds.
- Stir in the tomatoes, 300ml/10fl oz water, the remaining mixed herbs and shredded basil. Bring to the boil, stirring. Return the meatballs to the pan, reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally until the sauce is thick and the meatballs are cooked throughout.
- Meanwhile , half-fill a medium pan with water and bring to the boil. Use a vegetable peeler to peel the courgettes into ribbons. Cook the courgette in the boiling water for one minute then drain.
- Divide the courgette ribbons between two plates and top with the meatballs and sauce. Garnish with basil leaves.
Poached eggs with bacon and tomatoes
A great alternative to the traditional fry-up that’s low in calories but high in flavour. Poached eggs are a great way to make breakfast a little lighter and surprisingly easy to cook.
As part of an Intermittent diet plan, 1 serving provides:
Your daily salty food
1 of your 6 daily vegetable portions
This meal provides 212 kcal per portion.
As part of an Intermittent diet plan, 1 serving provides:
Your daily salty food
1 of your 6 daily vegetable portions
This meal provides 212 kcal per portion.
- 2 large ripe tomatoes, halved
- 4 rashers smoked back bacon, all visible fat removed
- 2 medium free-range eggs
- ground black pepper
Method
- Preheat the grill to its hottest setting. Put the tomatoes on a rack over a grill pan lined with foil. Season with pepper.
- Grill for 3 minutes, then add the bacon and grill for a further 4 minutes, turning the bacon after 2 minutes so that it is lightly browned on both sides.
- Meanwhile, half-fill a medium pan with water and bring it to the boil. Crack the eggs into two small bowls. Turn the heat down so that the water is bubbling very gently. Slowly add the eggs to the water and cook for 3 minutes or until the white is set but the yolk remains runny.
- Using a slotted spoon, scoop the eggs out of the water and divide between two plates. Add the cooked bacon and tomatoes. Season with a little salt and pepper and serve.