While staying at The Sebastian Vail—a Timbers Resort in 2021, my son Garrett, daughter-in-law Victoria, and I dined at Leonora, the resort’s fine dining establishment. John Adams, Chef de Cuisine then, worked with Executive Chef Kristen York when he developed this delicious version of Filipino Pork Belly Pintxo.
Chef Adams had previously opened six award-winning restaurants and was written about in Bon Appetit, Food & Wine, and New York Magazine. His style focused on ingredients and techniques that balanced fresh, bold, nuanced, and exotic flavors.
Filipino Pork Belly Pintxo
Ingredients
1 pound pork belly
¼ cup scallion greens – sliced
Sesame seeds for garnish
Skewers
Marinade
1 clove garlic – peeled
1 teaspoon ginger – peeled
1 stalk lemongrass – tough exterior and ends removed
1/2 cup soy or tamari sauce
¼ cup tamarind pulp
1/8 cup lime juice
1/8 cup rice vinegar
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1/2 cup brown sugar or coconut palm sugar
2 tablespoons honey
1/2 cup banana ketchup
Place all the ingredients for the marinade in a blender and blend until very smooth. Cut the pork belly into 1 ½ inch strips and use half of the marinade to marinate the pork overnight in a ziplock bag. Roast the pork belly on a pan covered in foil at 300 degrees for 2-3 hours or until tender. Let rest at room temperature for one hour and then chill in the refrigerator. Cut the pork belly strips into ¼ inch slices. Skewer 2-3 pieces per skewer, depending on the size of the skewer you have. Grill over high heat for one minute on each side, brush on a thin layer of marinade, and grill for another 30 seconds on each side or until it becomes caramelized. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds and scallions.
This story originally appeared on Upscalelivingmag
