The regional abundance of The Wine State takes centre stage once more with chef Chris Bone and his melding of pork, seafood and poultry flavours. The combination of crispy pork belly and juicy scallops intrigues the palate, while the flavoursome depth of the consommé is made even more apparent through the rich, full-bodied character of The Octogenarian Grenache's plum fruit core, savoury tannins and crisp line of acidity.
Ingredients
Pork belly
800g free range pork belly
1 carrot, sliced
1 brown onion, sliced
2 eschallots, quartered
2 celery sticks, sliced
10g sea salt
5 peppercorns
20g good quality oyster sauce
3 litres water
Sautéed Mushrooms
1 eschallot, thinly sliced
80g shimeji mushrooms
80g oyster mushrooms
Salt flakes to season
30ml chicken stock
1 green onion (shallot), thinly sliced
1/2 tsp sesame oil
Chicken & Wakame Broth
30g fresh or frozen wakame seaweed
1 litre good quality clear chicken stock
1 eschallot, sliced
Scallops
8 scallops, roe off
Salt to taste
1 tbsp oil
20g butter
Micro herbs to garnish
Method
1. Pre-heat oven to 150°C.
2. Place carrots, onions, escahallots, celery, peppercorns and oyster sauce in a baking dish. Place pork on top, cover with cold water. Cover pot with a tight-fitting lid or foil. Cook at 150°C for 3.5 hours. Ensure enough water as not to evaporate. Once tender, remove and gently press between baking paper and trays in fridge, until uniform and cool.
3. Chicken and wakame broth: Gently simmer stock and eschallot until reduced by a third and intensified in flavour. Remove from heat, add sliced wakame.
4. Sautéed mushrooms: Sweat eschallot and a pinch of salt in a pan with sesame oil, add mushrooms and stock. Cook over medium heat for 5-8 minutes or until it is reduced to a glaze, add green onion and sesame oil. Set aside and keep warm.
5. Scallops: Heat oil in a frying pan over high heat, add scallops, cook for 30 seconds. Turn, add butter, cook for a further 30 seconds.
6. To serve: Portion pork into 4 long logs, liberally season the pork skin with salt. Line a cast iron frypan with baking paper and canola oil. Heat and carefully place all pork skin down. Transfer pan to oven at 200°C for 8-10 minutes. Skin should be crispy, golden and the pork hot. Place mushrooms on plate, add broth, top with pork and scallops, garnish with micro-herbs.
Wine Match: The Octogenarian Grenache 2016