serves 4 

Ingredients: 

1kg pork belly

500g puy lentils (rinsed)

2 carrot 

2 onion

2 stick of celery 

125ml white wine

500ml chicken stock 

250ml water

4 banana shallots (peeled and halved with the core left on)

250ml veal jus

250ml beef stock

Small bunch of sage

2-3 tbsp of good olive oil

3tbsp sherry vinegar 

50g unsalted butter 

Salt and pepper 

Method:

Pre heat the oven to 190 degrees C

Roughly chop 1 carrot and 1 onion and 1 stick of celery and add the to a roasting tray. Season the pork all over and place on top of the vegetables.

Roast in the oven for 20 mins, then reduce heat to 160 and cook for around 1½ - 2 hours.

Put a large pot on a medium heat, finely chop the remaining carrot, onion and celery and add to the pan with a little oil. Sweat the vegetable for 3-4 mins to soften. Add the lentils to the pot and then the white wine. Reduce the wine and add the chicken stock and water, cover with greaseproof paper and cook on a low heat until most of the liquid has gone and the lentils are tender. Don’t season at the start as it will hinder the lentils breaking down and becoming tender.

Now put a medium size frying pan on a high heat and add the butter. When foaming add the halved shallots and cook on the high heat to get some colour, add the beef and veal jus and a few leaves of sage and some salt and pepper. Turn down to a  medium heat and cover with greaseproof paper. Cook until shallots are soft and stock has reduced to a sticky sauce. 

When the lentils are cooked season them and add the good olive oil and vinegar.

By this time the pork belly should be cooked. Take out of the oven and rest. Serve with a portion of lentils, 2-3 slices of pork and some of the braised shallots. Spoon over some of the shallot braising sauce to finish.