Because You Can't Go Wrong with BACON

Continuing the theme of our Tom Colicchio food fest, here's the recipe for Braised Pork Belly, or as he calls it, Fresh Bacon.  Ain't nothin' wrong with some fresh bacon, people.

Ingredients

*  1 TSP peanut oil
*  Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
*  2 lbs pork belly, skin on
*  1 onion, peeled and coarsely chopped
*  2 carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped
*  2 celery stalks, peeled and coarsely chopped
*  1 leek, white part only, trimmed and chopped
*  2 garlic cloves, peeled
*  About 3 cups Brown Chicken Stock

Directions
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Heat the oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium heat until the oil slides easily across the pan.  Salt and pepper the pork and add it, fat-side down, to the skillet.  Cook until the skin is braised, about 15 minutes, then transfer the pork to a plate.

2.  Pour off all but about 2 TSP of fat, and add the onions, carrots, celery, leek and garlic to the skillet.  Cook the vegetables, stirring occasionally, until they are tender and beginning to brown, about 20 minutes.  Add the pork belly to the skillet, fat-side up, and add about 2 cups of stock (it should surround but not cover the meat).  Bring the stock to a simmer, then transfer the skillet to the oven.  Gently simmer the pork, uncovered, for 1 hour, then add another cup of stock.  Continue cooking until the pork is tender enough to cut with a fork, about 1 hour longer.

3.   Allow the pork to cool in the braising liquid.  Remove the pork from the liquid, then gently lift off and discard the skin (use a small knife to separate any pieces that don't come away from the fat easily).  Score the fat, making crosshatch incisions, then cut the pork into 4 equal pieces.

4.  Increase the oven to 400 degrees.  Strain the braising liquid, discarding the solids.  Return the liquid to the skillet, bring it to a simmer, and skim off the fat.  Return pork, fat-side up, to the skillet.  Transfer the skillet to the oven and cook, without basting, until the pork is heated through and the fat nicely browned, about 20 minutes.  Serve the pork in a shallow bowl moistened with a bit of the braising liquid.

Then transfer from plate to mouth to belly (onto ass - but that's another story).  Enjoy!

*Recipe by Tom Colicchio