… one of the many things i’ve ‘learnt’ from living with a person born and bred in Lincolnshire is that sweet and savoury don’t go… as far as The Viking is concerned pudding and main course should never be served on the same plate… and this goes for everything from the humble cheese served with jam… through to the molecular salted caramel… although strangely he will make an exception for Yorkshire Pudding with jam…
… so I knew that when dear delightful Choclette from Chocolate Log Blog chose ‘savoury’ as the theme for this months we should cocoa, it wouldn’t be something The Viking would partake in… which is especially frustrating seeing that the secondary requirement for the challenge was to make the dish vegetarian…
… don’t worry I will be getting to the point… as it happens The Viking is off down to London this week so I needn’t worry, plus it gives me the added bonus of being able to eat meat without the guilt… but then I got stuck on the whole vegetarian aspect… and as the weeks have passed and all the other wonderful entries have come rolling in i’ve got myself into a spot of bother over it… until I spied two things…
one was a recipe for honey roast pork belly I saw on the BBC website and the other was for a cocoa onion gravy, which I know I saw on someone’s blog but I cannot for the life of me remember where, so do claim the idea if it’s yours… anyway… little explosions went off in my mind and here’s the result…
chocolate roast pork belly with a caramelised onion and cocoa gravy
something for me and something for you Choclette…
for the pork belly
1 large slab of pork belly (don’t ask me… I didn’t weigh it)
1 tablespoon of Mexican Orange Blossom Honey
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon white wine
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
2 teaspoons dark cocoa powder – I used Green and Blacks
plenty of sea salt
for the gravy
2 medium onions -very finely sliced
Well I think hat is a STELLAR idea Dom and LOOK at that DIVINE chocolate onion gravy/sauce! FAB entry for we should cocoa, and I would love to try that!
Karen
I DID mean that and not HAT! Doh…..
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Dom, that looks absolutely delicious. You are taunting me when I've just woken up after a night shift. Isn't it a veggie challenge though?
Ooh that sounded a bit jobs-worth….I didn't mean that. I'm very glad you didn't go veggie as I'm not sure it could be as good as that tasty looking hunk of pig.
Oh my goodness! Vegetarian recipe stipulation be dammed, the world needs your chocolate roast pork belly, Dom. Pancakes with bacon and maple syrup, chocolate salted caramels, Choc Dips – The Viking is missing out!
Belly Pork can do no wrong; chocked or not!
I'm loving the look of that crackling. Crunch!! The onion gravy with the cocoa looks delicious as well. I have a recipe for chili that calls for a a few teaspoons of cocoa powder. It really adds a layer of depth to the recipe.
I don't eat red meat Dom but this caramelised onion and cocoa gravy looks and sounds delicious…and I think it would work with chicken or even puy lentils…mmm…
…but I din't know that Vikings came from Lincolnshire…mind you I was never that good at geography….
You Brits are having more fun than we colonials. It's not fair.
I think that dish might go down well in Mexico!
Nice idea – onions and chocolate are two of the really good things in life.
This is heaven! Who could resist a meal that includes two of my favourite foods, pork & chocolate. I know I would love this and will be sure to make it as I can taste the chocolatey, salty crackling now :0)x
Oh my God!!!! I need this in my life!
Oooh this would have been PERFECT served at Porklife last night! I want!
I don't know about this – chocolate and pork? Might have to try it to confirm the mix of flavours! But then again pork and chocolate will always taste good.
Ha ha, well done Dom, nicely done. I'll have to have a word with that Viking of yours when I see him though. The onion gravy looks and sounds delicious and you are a dear man for persevering.
that's the most creative roast pork belly flavour I've come across so far! sounds simply amazing. who says you can't have your roast pork and dessert all at a go 😉
As soon as I saw the post title I knew it would be for We Should Cocoa – and I LOVE the result. Quite frankly, both the pork and onions deserve recognition cause they both look and sound amazing. I know it's supposed to be all veggie this month, but still. Just saying. Now let me go drool in private =)
I love pork and your gravy looks delicious, I'll bet the chocolate really kicked it up a notch!
You are too bloomin' clever by 'alf, aren't you? I am completely bereft of any good idea for WSC this month, to the point where I am wondering if chocolate peanut butter qualifies as 'savoury'. No? Hmm, didn't think so… happy weekend to you x
Clever Dominic! A brilliant idea and I love that you came up with a recipe that incorporated the chocolate/savoury/vegetarian angle alongside a lovely slab of meat! Genius. I must say, this one had me stumped, so I take my hat off you you and will learn from the Masters!
Now THAT is a creative twist on mole! I especially love the idea of that blackened cocoa crust on the outside of the pork belly … a shredded and crunchy bite of pork heaven! Just imagining dragging a forkful through that gravy … well, I bet it was incredible!
You clever devil, you!
Omg you are a culinary genius!! Love the chocolate pork belly and the chocolate onion gravy! I
Sorry posted before I finished my last comment … I am really loving the sweet and salty combination. You should try chocolate and cheese 😉
Ah-Mazing Dom! I've been looking forward to this since you mentioned it on twitter. You could have invited me you know… 🙂 Very creative use of cocoa. Enjoy the rest of your weekend.
Wow Dom! That is really pushing the boat out. Fantastic.
I've deleted my earlier comment, as I clearly didn't read the post properly. This dish is a really daring experiment – I hope it tasted as good as it looks!
Tut tut Dam 1 teaspoon of Mexican Orange Blossom Honey … not local honey .. honey?
OMG! that just sounds gorgeous Dom, did you eat it all?
It looks amazing. Not convinced on the onion chocolate combination but I trust you!
This looks too amazing. I've got to get some pork belly and make this….soon.
Sound delicious especially to go with pork!! Definitely trying this recipe! YUM!
Dom, I know I've already gushed over how much I love this combination, but I wanted to drop back and let you know I am featuring this post in today's Friday Food Fetish roundup (with a link-back and attribution). Please let me know if you have any objections. It's always a pleasure following your food…
Very happy for you to use this, that's very kind of you (I've always wanted to be featured in your FFF round-up!) x