Tag Archive for: Arugula

SUCKLING PIG
Confit with Apricots, Bacon, and Arugula

Serves 4

SUCKLING PIG CONFIT
2 bone-in suckling pig shoulders, skin on, about 2 kg each
Salt
6 sprigs thyme
6 cloves garlic, crushed
5 kg duck fat, melted
Debone the shoulders; reserve the bones for the apricot pork jus. Season the meat
generously with salt inside and out, then place it, skin side down, on a baking sheet lined
with parchment paper. Evenly cover with the thyme and garlic. Refrigerate overnight,
uncovered, to cure.
Preheat the oven to 105°C/225°F. Rinse the shoulders well under cold running water and
pat dry with paper towels. Place in a large roasting pan, skin side down, flat, with enough
duck fat to cover, then cover with aluminum foil. Cook until tender, about 4 hours.
Carefully remove the shoulders from the fat, without tearing the skin. Place the shoulders
on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, skin side down. Pour the fat from the
roasting pan through a chinois and allow it to separate. Remove the fat and reserve it for
another use. Reserve the remaining cooking liquid. Carefully pick the meat from the skin,
discarding any veins and large pieces of fat. Be careful not to tear the skin while picking
the meat. Place the cleaned confit meat in a large mixing bowl and mix with just enough
of the reserved cooking liquid to moisten; season with salt. The seasoned confit meat
should be very moist, but there should be no liquid pooling at the bottom of the mixing
bowl. Scrape any excess meat or fat still attached to the skin. Line one 23 by 33-cm (9 by
13-inch) baking sheet with parchment paper. Line the prepared baking sheet with the
scraped skin in a single, even layer. Fill the skin-lined tray with the seasoned confit meat,
filling the tray and forming an evenly packed layer. Wrap the tray with plastic wrap and
place another tray on top with a weight. Press the tray overnight, refrigerated. Unwrap the
tray of pressed confit and carefully turn it out onto a cutting board. Cut the confit into 7.5-
cm (3-inch) squares. Reserve tightly covered with plastic wrap, refrigerated, for up to 1
week.

APRICOT PORK JUS
15 g grapeseed oil
150 g reserved pork bones from the Suckling Pig Confit
240 g Chicken Jus
20 g Apricot Gastrique
Salt
Heat the oil in a saucepan over high heat. When the oil just starts to smoke, add the pork
bones to pan. Sear the pork bones, while turning occasionally, until caramelized and
browned on all sides, about 6 minutes. Turn the heat to low and add the chicken jus to the
pan. Bring to a simmer and reduce until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Add the
apricot gastrique and season the sauce with salt. Strain the sauce through a chinois. Keep warm.

PICKLED APRICOTS
3 firm apricots, halved and pitted
400 g Apricot Pickling Liquid
Place the apricots in a heatproof container. Heat the liquid to a simmer in a saucepan over
low heat. Pour the simmering liquid over the apricots and let cool to room temperature.
Cut two of the apricot halves into quarters. Keep the pickled apricots in the pickling liquid
until ready to serve.

SLOW-ROASTED ONION
1 onion, unpeeled
25 g olive oil
Salt
35 g Chicken Stock
25 g butter
Preheat the oven to 150°C/300°F. In a mixing bowl, dress the whole onion with the olive
oil and season with salt. Toss to evenly coat. Wrap the dressed onion tightly in an
aluminum foil packet and place in a baking dish. Roast the onion in the oven until tender,
about 3½ hours. Remove from the oven and unwrap, discarding the foil. Cut the onion in
half from the stem end and discard the outer skins. Separate the individual layers and cut
the onion into petals. Heat the stock to a simmer in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add the
onion petals and butter, stirring to incorporate. Season with salt. As the butter melts and
emulsifies, it will coat the onions evenly. Be careful not to overcook the onions or reduce
the glaze too far as it will break and make the onions greasy. Transfer onions to a paper
towel to drain any excess glaze. Keep warm.

TO FINISH
100 g grapeseed oil
160 g arugula
Salt
4 apricots, halved and pitted
Brown Butter, melted
Fleur de sel
130 g Bacon Marmalade, warm
40 g Pickled Mustard Seeds
Mustard greens
Preheat the oven to 160°C/325°F. Heat 25 g of the oil in a large sauté pan over medium
heat. When the oil is warm, place four suckling pig confit portions in the pan, skin sides
down. Turn the heat to low and cook the confit until the skin is crispy and browned, about
15 minutes. Place the pan in the oven and cook until the confit is warmed through, about 5
minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and, using an offset spatula, carefully release the
confit portions from the pan and transfer to a paper towel, skin side facing up, to drain.
Heat 50 g of the oil in a large sauté pan over high heat. When the oil is very hot, add the
arugula to the pan, stirring to lightly wilt. Season with salt and transfer to a paper towel to
drain.
Heat the remaining oil in a large sauté pan over high heat. When the oil is very hot, place
the apricots in the pan, cut sides down. Cook the apricots until caramelized and warmed
through. Remove the pan from the heat and transfer the apricots to a paper towel to drain.
Brush the apricots and confit portions with brown butter and season with fleur de sel.
Arrange the suckling pig, pan-roasted apricots, pickled apricots, sautéed arugula, and
slow-roasted onions among each of four plates. Spoon the bacon marmalade and pickled
mustard seeds around the pig and apricots. Garnish the plates with the mustard greens.
Sauce each plate with the apricot pork jus.