Pork Belly Bao with Apple & Fennel Sauce

Name: Pork Belly Bao with Apple & Fennel Sauce
Prep time: PTM
Total time: PTM
Yield: 18
Ingredients: For the pork; 1 piece of Pork Belly, approx. 1kg; Salt and pepper; Fennel seeds; Olive oil; For the Apple & Fennel sauce; 1 tbsp butter; 1 tbsp olive oil; 2 garlic cloves, chopped; 1 large shallot, diced; 1/2 tsp fennel seeds; 1 fennel bulb, cored and diced (reserve fronds for garnish); 4 granny smith apples, peeled, cored and diced; Salt and pepper; Zest and juice of 1 lemon; 8 sprigs of thyme; 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar; 2 cups chicken stock; Other; Wonderbao Buns; 1/2 cup rocket leaves; Available at Wilsons Fruit & Vegetables

Who doesn’t love the combo of pork & apple? This fusion dish brings together classic flavours with a modern twist using the Wonderbao Buns to create a bite size Christmas snack

INGREDIENTS

For the pork

1 piece of Pork Belly, approx. 1kg

Salt and pepper

Fennel seeds

Olive oil

For the Apple & Fennel sauce

1 tbsp butter

1 tbsp olive oil

2 garlic cloves, chopped

1 large shallot, diced

1/2 tsp fennel seeds

1 fennel bulb, cored and diced (reserve fronds for garnish)

4 granny smith apples, peeled, cored and diced

Salt and pepper

Zest and juice of 1 lemon

8 sprigs of thyme

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

2 cups chicken stock

Other

Wonderbao Buns

1/2 cup rocket leaves

Available at Wilsons Fruit & Vegetables

Method

For the pork belly, remove the pork from the packet, place on a plate in the fridge for up to 1 day before cooking. This helps to dry out the skin and get better results from you crackle!
Preheat BBQ or oven to 250 degrees celsius
On the flesh side of the pork, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with fennel seeds
On the skin side, drizzle with oil and salt generously, rubbing salt in to the skin.
Cook the pork belly at 250 degrees for 30 minutes then turn the oven down to 180 and cook for approx. another 30 minutes or until pork is done and the skin is nice and crispy
Let pork rest until cool enough to slice into bad bun size pieces
For the apple and fennel sauce, heat a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the butter and olive oil, garlic, shallot and fennel seeds. Cook stirring for a few minutes until the shallot has softened
Add the fennel and apples, a good pinch of salt and pepper, the zest and juice of 1 lemon and thyme sprigs. Cook stirring for 3-4 minutes.
Add the apple cider vinegar and chicken stock and cook simmering for 10-15 minutes until the apple and fennel is nice and soft and the liquid has reduced by half
Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly before blitzing in a food processor to desired consistency. I like mine a bit chunky!
To build your bio, heat the buns as per packet instructions
Place a piece of the pork belly in each bun and top with a good dollop of the apple and fennel sauce, rocket and reserved fennel fronds
Serve!

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Pork Belly Bao with Apple & Fennel Sauce

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