Chicharrones with Apricot, Fermented Chilli, Flaky Flatbreads and Whipped Hot Honey Recipe

Instructions

1. Step 1

   Begin by making the fermented chillies four days ahead of serving. Mix together all the ingredients for the fermented chilli, then transfer to a clean, an airtight container | Ingredients: 14 1/8 oz of chilli, of your choice, roughly chopped , 3 1/2 oz of apricot, skins removed and roughly chopped , 1 1/16 oz of salt , 1 tsp apple cider vinegar , 4 garlic cloves, minced , 1 tbsp of Sichuan chilli flakes

2. Step 2

   Store in a cool, dark place for around 4 days, opening the container once a day to release the fermentation gases

3. Step 3

   Once fermented, the chilli should taste pleasantly sour and a little bit sweet. Transfer to the fridge to store until needed

4. Step 4

   To make the chicharrones, place the pork belly on a wire rack above a baking tray | Ingredients: 2 1/4 lb of pork belly with skin on

5. Step 5

   Rub the pork with the baking soda and salt, spreading it evenly across the skin | Ingredients: 1 tbsp of Doves Farm Baking Powder , flaky sea salt to season

6. Step 6

   Place in the fridge, skin-side up, for at least 2 hours to chill and dry out

7. Step 7

   Meanwhile prepare the flatbread dough. Mix together the flour and salt | Ingredients: 1 1/8 lb of Doves Farm Plain White Flour , 1 tsp flaky sea salt

8. Step 8

   Slowly mix in the warm water while stirring with a wooden spoon. Once a shaggy dough begins to form, use your hands to knead the dough for a couple of minutes until smooth | Ingredients: 3/4 pint of warm water

9. Step 9

   Transfer the dough to a clean bowl and cover tightly, then leave to rest for 1 hour

10. Step 10

    Next, make the whipped hot honey. Add the honey to a pan over a medium-low heat | Ingredients: 2/3 pint of honey

11. Step 11

    Once the honey starts to warm and loosen, add in the chilli flakes and spices. Stir well then remove from the heat | Ingredients: 2 tbsp of chilli flakes , 1 tsp smoked paprika , 1 tsp cayenne pepper

12. Step 12

    Leave to infuse in the pan as it cools, then transfer to a clean container

13. Step 13

    Next, rinse the salt off the pork belly and then pat dry

14. Step 14

    Slice the pork belly into thick strips

15. Step 15

    Place each strip skin side down on a chopping board. At about 2 cm intervals, cut through the pork belly meat, stopping at the skin. Take a look at the picture above for a better idea of the shape, if needed

16. Step 16

    Place the pork belly strips in a single layer in a large pan, then cover with water, enough so that the pork is just submerged. Bring to a simmer, uncovered, over a medium heat

17. Step 17

    Cook for around 1 hour, turning the pork every now and then to ensure it cooks evenly. The water will begin to evaporate, and the fat will render out slowly and pool at the bottom of the pan

18. Step 18

    Meanwhile, divide the flatbread dough into eight equal portions. Roll each into a ball and set aside

19. Step 19

    Coat each ball of dough in vegetable oil, then place them onto an oiled baking tray with space between them for proofing. Cover the dough balls with cling film and leave to rest for 1 more hour | Ingredients: vegetable oil, for frying and for layering the flatbreads

20. Step 20

    After an hour of simmering, turn up the heat on the pork belly to evaporate any remaining water

21. Step 21

    Fry the pork belly slices in their rendered fat for 30 more minutes or until they are golden and crispy

22. Step 22

    While the pork belly fries, shape the flatbread. Take one of the balls of dough and flatten it with your hands. Pull the dough out from the sides, gently stretching it out until you have a paper thin flatbread. Stretch it as far as you can without tearing

23. Step 23

    Spread a thin layer of vegetable oil over the surface of the flatbread, then roll it up into a thin tube | Ingredients: vegetable oil, for frying and for layering the flatbreads

24. Step 24

    Next, coil up the tube into a spiral, tucking the end piece of the dough underneath the spiral. Press it firmly against the work surface with your palm to seal the coil

25. Step 25

    Repeat with each piece of dough, and then leave them to rest under cling film for a final hour

26. Step 26

    Once the chicharrones are crispy, take them out of the oil and place them onto a piece of kitchen paper to drain

27. Step 27

    Season with a generous sprinkle of salt and lime juice, then set aside until needed | Ingredients: 1 lime, juiced , 1 tsp flaky sea salt

28. Step 28

    To cook the flatbreads, heat a large pan over a medium heat

29. Step 29

    Once the pan is hot, add a splash of oil and flatten out one coil of dough into a thinner round, about 1 cm thick | Ingredients: vegetable oil, for frying and for layering the flatbreads

30. Step 30

    Cook the bread in the pan, frying it on either side for a couple of minutes until cooked through. Once cooked, remove the bread from the pan and, while the flatbread is hot, use your hands to ‘clap’ the flatbread, scrunching it quickly your hands to create layers and flakes in the flatbread. You can wrap the flatbread in a paper towel first if the bread is too hot to touch

31. Step 31

    Place on a rack to cool the rest of the way, and repeat with each remaining piece of dough

32. Step 32

    Meanwhile, use an electric whisk to whip the honey until it is light and aerated

33. Step 33

    To serve, layer the chicharrones over the flatbread, then dollop over the fermented apricot and chilli mix, whipped hot honey drizzle and the freshly picked parsley | Ingredients: 1 handful of fresh parsley, leaves freshly picked