- 200ml/7fl oz white wine vinegar
- 75g/3oz caster sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black peppercorns
- 1 small cauliflower, cut into florets
- 20 small shallots, peeled
- 20 pea pods
- 500g/1lb 2oz boneless pork belly
- 1 onion, cut into chunks
- 1 carrot, cut into chunks
- 4 sprigs flatleaf parsley
- 2 sprigs thyme
- 3 star anise
- 50g/2oz butter
- For the pickled cauliflower, heat the white wine vinegar, sugar, salt and peppercorns in a pan over a medium heat until the sugar has dissolved.
- Place the cauliflower and shallots into a bowl and pour over the hot vinegar. Mix together, coating the cauliflower and shallots with the vinegar.
- Set aside to pickle, ideally for at least an hour, preferably 24 hours.
- For the pork belly, place the pork belly, onion, carrot, parsley, thyme and star anise into a large saucepan.
- Fill the pan with cold water, so the pork is covered.
- Bring to a boil, then turn down to a simmer and cook for 45 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and place the pork belly between two heavy baking trays and place in the fridge for at least two hours to cool and set.
- Cut the pork belly into 1cm/½in thick slices.
- Heat a frying pan until hot, add a knob of the butter and pork and cook for two minutes on each side. Repeat in batches, adding fresh butter for each batch.
- Just before serving, bring a pan of salted water to the boil, add the peas and cook for two minutes until just tender then drain.
- Open up the pea pods, but do not pop the peas out. Add the peas in pods to the pickled vegetables and mix to combine.
- To serve, place the slices of pork belly on the plate, then spoon the pickled cauliflower, shallots and peas alongside.