Pork Belly with Nduja Cannellini Beans

Recipe of the Month: Pork Belly with Nduja Cannellini Beans

  • Serves: 8-10
  • Prep Time: 00:30:00
  • Cook Time: 3:30:00

Tip: Preparation is the key with this recipe… Score the pork with a very sharp knife the night before and rub with salt. The cannellini beans also need to be soaked overnight.

This month we have a juicy roast pork belly with a crisp, crunchy crackling paired with a fab side of nduja cannellini beans. A delicious dish for any dinner party.

What are nduja cannellini beans? Cannellini beans are from Italy, they’re white slightly kidney shaped with squarish ends. When they are cooked to perfection they have a fluffy texture and a slightly nutty, mild flavour. The are available all year round. You can use canned beans if you prefer as the preparation is minimal but dried cannellini beans have more flavour and a nicer texture. Soak them overnight in cold water, drain and rinse them. They expand while soakin so make sure the bowl is big enough.

We’re pairing the beans with another gorgeous Italian product – nduja paste. It is a spicy pork-based paste and adds a fantastic flavour and colour to the beans. You can find nduja past in any good Italian store or delicatessen.

Here’s what you’re going to need…..

Ingredients:

  • 5kg Boneless Pork Belly, Skin-on & Scored (rub with salt the night before)
  • 250g Onion, Quartered
  • 200g Carrot, Chunks
  • 200g Celery, Chunks
  • 20g Garlic Cloves, Whole
  • 3g Whole Fennel Seeds
  • 20g Rapeseed Oil
  • 800g Cooked Cannellini Beans (or 600g Dried & Soaked Overnight)
  • 120g Onion, Finely Diced
  • 20g Garlic, crushed
  • 30g Tomato Paste
  • 30g Smoked Tomato Paste
  • 100g Nduja Paste
  • 5g Smoked Paprika
  • 5g Sweet Paprika
  • 5g Ground Cumin
  • 5g Ground Coriander
  • 8g Sea Salt
  • 2g Coarse Black Pepper
  • 500ml Good Quality Pork Stock
  • 500g Chopped Tomatoes
  • 20g Parsley, Chopped
  • 20g Lemon Juice

Method:

  1. Preheat oven to 200C (fan) or 220C (non-fan)
  2. Take a tray and add the roasting veg and toss in the oil, lay the pork, skin side up, on top, add more sea salt & the fennel seeds. And place in the oven, after 30mins, reduce the temperature to 140C (fan) or 160C and cook for 2.5 hours. Turn the heat back up for another 20-30mins to crisp the skin.
  3. Take a large oven proof casserole dish and place on a medium high heat, add the oil and then sauté the onions & garlic for 5-10mins until the onions are translucent. Add the dry ingredients and cook out the rawness of the spices, approx. 5mins. Add the tomato pastes, nduja, pork stock & chopped tomatoes & bring to the boil, reduce heat to a simmer & add the beans.
  4. Place the lid on the dish and pop into the oven at 160C with the pork for 2hrs.
  5. When the pork has finished roasting, remove from the oven and allow to rest for 30mins before carving, garnish the beans with the chopped fresh parsley and the lemon juice and serve with some warm crusty bread.

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Happy cooking! We hope you and your family and friends enjoy this dish. If there’s anything you’d like us to create our chefs would love to hear from you.