Crisp-Skinned Pork Belly With Braised Green Lentils - cooking recipe

Ingredients

4 1/3 lbs pork belly, rind on, bones in
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp fine table salt
2 bulbs garlic, cut in half horizontally
2 None onions, unpeeled, thickly sliced
2 None carrots, peeled and quartered
2 sprigs fresh thyme
2 None fresh bay leaves
1 cup dry white wine
1/3 cup sherry vinegar
2 cups reduced sodium chicken stock, approximately
1 tsp finely chopped fresh tarragon
1 None onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
4 cups reduced sodium chicken stock
2 cups French green lentils
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 425\u00b0F. Using a sharp knife, score pork rind at 3/4-inch intervals. Place pork on wire rack over large shallow roasting pan, rind side-up. Rub oil and salt over rind. Roast, uncovered, for 35 mins or until rind begins to blister.
Reduce oven temperature to 350\u00b0F. Remove pork and rack from pan; discard fat from pan. Place garlic, onion, carrot, thyme and bay leaves in pan; pour wine and vinegar over vegetables. Top with pork, rind-side up. Pour about 2 cups stock into pan to come halfway up side of pork (do not allow liquid to touch pork rind). Cover pan tightly with foil. Roast pork for 1 1/2 hours or until pork is cooked through.
Meanwhile, for the lentils, heat oil in large skillet on medium heat. Cook onion and garlic, stirring, until onion softens. Add thyme, 4 cups stock and lentils; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; simmer, uncovered, for 25 mins or until lentils are tender. Stir in parsley; season to taste. Cover to keep warm.
Remove pan from oven. Increase oven temperature to 425\u00b0F. Remove pork from pan. Strain pan juices through muslin-lined sieve into medium saucepan; discard solids. Return pork to pan. Roast, uncovered, for 15 mins or until rind is crisp.
Meanwhile, bring pan juices to a boil. Reduce heat to low; simmer, uncovered, skimming fat from surface, until juices are reduced by half. Stir in tarragon. Cut pork into 6 pieces. Serve with lentils and pan juices.