Pork Belly

1. Preheat oven to 300°F. Cut pork belly into 6 rectangles, approximately 3 x 4-inches. Brown pork on both sides in a very hot large high-sided skillet; remove from pan. Add carrots, onion, celery and parsley to same pan and cook over medium-high heat until just starting to brown. Add wine and stir, scraping bottom of pan until liquid is nearly evaporated. Return pork to pan. Add broth, star anise, cloves and cinnamon sticks. Cover and bring to a simmer.
   
   Place covered pan in oven and roast until tender when sliced, about 2 1/2 hours. Trim some of the fat from each piece and reassemble the layers. Place the pieces on one plate. Top with another plate and weight down with cans. Refrigerate overnight.
   
   Strain braising liquid and discard solids. Refrigerate until cold; skim fat if desired. Re-warm pork in a few tablespoons of the braising liquid. Simmer remaining liquid in a saucepan until reduced by half.

Blackberry Compote

1. Combine blackberries, sugar and water in a small saucepan. Simmer over low heat, stirring often until berries start to break down, about 5 minutes.

Yam Purée

1. Peel and cut yams into 1-inch pieces. Place yams in a saucepan and add enough half-and-half to almost cover. Bring to a simmer uncovered over medium heat. Simmer stirring occasionally until yams are tender, about 30 minutes. Blend until smooth using a handheld mixer or potato masher, adding additional cream or a little water as needed to make a smooth purée. Blend in butter and season with salt and pepper.

To Serve

1. Serve pork belly with Blackberry Compote and a drizzle of braising liquid. Garnish with blackberries, chervil and smoked sea salt. Accompany with Yam Purée.

Amount Per Serving