Confit of Suckling Pig with Masala Chai Spiced Pears and Chestnut Puree

Methods and Directions

• Vacuum pack the pork with the salt and olive oil.
• Place in a steamer at 60°C for 12 hours. Remove from the oven and ice the pork down immediately. When cool gently run your knife under the ribs and back bone to remove the belly and the loin in one piece, without tearing the skin.
• Portion into desired size (approximately 250g per person).
• Cook the pork by patting dry the skin and coating the skin with a generous amount of salt. Place pork, skin side down in a hot pan with olive oil, making sure to press down gently until the skin is cooked golden and crispy.

• Combine sugar, water, white wine and lemon juice and bring to a simmer. Add the tea, cinnamon quills, ginger and star anise and continue to simmer for 5 minutes and remove the tea bags. Remove the pan from the heat and cover with foil, allowing flavours to infuse for 20 minutes. Place the prepared pears in syrup and cover with baking paper and gently weigh down with a tea saucer.
• Simmer for 15 minutes, while gently checking the pears with a skewer. When pears are done allow to cool down in syrup, then cut in half and remove the core.

• Sauté the onion and garlic in butter with a pinch of salt until soft, then add the sage and chestnuts and continue to sauté for 5 minutes.
• Add the wine, when it’s reduced by half add the stock and continue to simmer for 30 minutes.
• Add the cream and continue cooking for another 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and puree with a stick blender. Pass through a fine sieve and season.

• Sautée the chestnuts in butter until caramelized. Add a small amount of spinach to the chestnuts and allow to slightly wilt. Prepare the pears by placing them cut side down in a pan with a little butter until golden brown.
• To serve place some of the chestnuts and spinach on each plate. Add a pool of chestnut puree next to this, slice the pork into lengths ensuring each piece has some belly and loin meat. Sprinkle the pork with a little more salt and drizzle with olive oil and some aged balsamic and serve.