Lunch: Crispy Pork Lettuce Wraps With Spicy Cucumbers

Recipe by Alison Roman Pork belly's back! Ask your butcher for a square piece: It'll make for even slices and a good fat-to-meat ratio.

This recipe includes fertility superfoods such as:

Miso, Kimchi

Health and fertility benefits of Crispy Pork Lettuce Wraps With Spicy Cucumbers

Miso is extremely nutrient-dense and believed to alkalinize the body and stop the effects of carcinogens in the system. Besides beneficial bacteria, kimchi is also a great source of beta-carotene, calcium, iron and vitamins A, C, B1 and B2. Kimchi and is full of probiotics which balance our pH level and ward off yeast infections and UTIs.

Ingredients

1 (12-ounce) piece skin-on pork belly (about 4x3 1/2x1 1/4")
Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons light brown sugar, divided
4 chiles de árbol
2 star anise pods
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 Persian or kirby cucumbers, thinly sliced
2 scallions, thinly sliced
1/2 red chile (such as Fresno or jalapeño), thinly sliced
2 tablespoons unseasoned rice wine vinegar
3 tablespoons gochujang (Korean red pepper paste)
3 tablespoons white miso
1 small head of lettuce (such as Little Gem or romaine hearts), torn
1/2 bunch mint
1/2 cup kimchi (optional)

Instructions

Diagonally score fat side of pork belly, cutting through fat but stopping at flesh and spacing about 1/4" apart. Season pork with salt and pepper and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon brown sugar. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and let sit at least 2 hours, or chill up to 2 days.
Preheat oven to 400 °F. Unwrap pork and place in the smallest baking dish you can. Add chiles de árbol, star anise, soy sauce, remaining 1 tablespoon brown sugar, and 1 1/4 cups water. Roast until most of fat has rendered, meat is tender, and top is browned and crisp, 2 –2 1/2 hours.
Meanwhile, toss cucumbers, scallions, red chile, and vinegar in a small bowl to combine. Mix gochujang and miso in another small bowl.
Transfer pork to a cutting board; let rest 10 minutes. Pour off pan juices into a measuring glass. Skim fat from surface.
Slice pork into 1/2" slices, transfer to a platter, and pour pan juices over. Serve with lettuce for wrapping and cucumber salad, mint, kimchi (if using), and gochugang-miso mixture for topping.

Reviews


Add a review for Crispy Pork Lettuce Wraps With Spicy Cucumbers

(How often do you make and eat this recipe?)

(How difficult is it for you to make this recipe?)

Register to learn what this meal can do for you

Create a new plan every week and get full access to our premium plans

Subscribe now