It’s been awhile since I’ve shared a Sunday meal with you but I think the wait was well worth it. In this dish, pork belly makes a return and I pair it with roast potatoes, fresh herbs from my garden, olive oil, lemon juice, seasonings and good ole’ fashioned heat from your oven. The only fancy thing I’ve added to dish is some smoked pork loin (given by a good friend). If you live in the Toronto area, this smoked pork loin can be purchased Family Meat Deli in the west end.

My friends in Greece could use Siglino, the smoked pork that’s a specialty from Mani, Laconia and if you’re still stuck – some smoky bacon will work well too! The preparation for this dish is complete in the time it takes to pre-heat the oven. Peel the spuds, toss in oil, lemon juice, herbs, seasoning and place in a roasting pan. Toss the pork belly portions in salt, pepper, herbs and place on top of the potatoes. A head of garlic wedged in between the pork and potatoes will become mellow, buttery and perfect smeared on the pork or potatoes (or both).

Roast Pork Belly & Potatoes (Πανσετες στο Φουρνο με Πατατεσ)

(serves 4-6)

approx. 12 Yukon Gold (or other yellow) potatoes, quartered

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/2 cup hot chicken (or other) stock

2 Tbsp. Dijon-style mustard

juice of  1 lemon

about 10 sprigs of fresh thyme

2-3 sprigs of fresh rosemary

1 head of garlic

sea salt and fresh ground pepper

1 pork belly (bone-in preferred), approx. 3.5lbs.

3-4 tsp. of coarse sea salt

fresh ground pepper

2 tsp. sweet paprika

1 tsp. dried Greek oregano

2 tsp. fresh thyme leaves

2 1/2 tsp. sea salt

3/4 tsp. ground pepper

juice of 1 lemon

1/4 cup diced smoked pork or bacon

Pre-heated 400F oven

1. Peel and cut your potatoes (quartered) and place in a roasting pan large enough to hold them. Add the olive oil, stock, mustard, lemon juice, sprigs of thyme and rosemary and toss until well coated. Add salt and fresh ground pepper to taste, toss again.
2. If using bone-in pork belly, ask your butcher to cut in half then to chop into 3/4 inch. slabs. Place in a bowl and toss in the salt, pepper, paprika, oregano, thyme leaves and mix well with your hands.
3. Place the pork belly on top of the potatoes, sprinkle the diced smoked pork (or bacon) all over and take a head of garlic, slice-off the top and wedge it in among the pork and potatoes.
4. Place in your pre-heated oven (middle rack) for about 30 minutes or until the tops of the pork belly are nicely browned. Carefully remove from the oven and flip the pork belly slabs over, sprinkle some sea salt and pepper and place back in the oven for another 20 minutes or until the other side of the pork is nicely browned and your potatoes are fork-tender. Remove from the oven and spoon over drippings on pork.
5. Serve with sauteed mixed bell peppers with olive oil and balsamic vinegar and serve with a chilled Kir Yianni Akakies rose.