Slow-Roasted Pork Belly with Eggplant and Pickled Fennel

• One 1-pound square piece of fresh pork belly, skin removed and top thick layer of fat scored
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 2 teaspoons sweet pimenton de la Vera (smoked Spanish paprika)
• 1 tablespoon herbes de Provence
• 1/2 teaspoon each of black peppercorns, yellow mustard seeds, fennel seeds and coriander seeds
• 2 cups water
• 1 cup Champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons kosher salt
• 2 medium fennel bulbs (about 1 1/2 pounds)cored, trimmed and thinly sliced on a mandoline
• 1 pound eggplant, cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 3 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium shallot, very thinly sliced
• 1 small red chile, very thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon mixed small mint and flat-leaf parsley leaves, plus 2 tablespoons each of chopped mint and parsley

1. Preheat the oven to 400.
2. Place the pork belly fat side up in a shallow baking dish.
3. Season the pork all over with salt, pepper, the smoked paprika and the herbes de Provence.
4. Roast for 1 hour.
5. Reduce the oven temperature to 200 and bake for 3 hours longer, rotating the dish a few times, until the pork is very tender and richly browned.
6. Remove the pork from the oven and let stand for 15 minutes.
7. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, toast the peppercorns, mustard seeds, fennel seeds and coriander seeds over moderately high heat until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
8. Transfer the seeds to a spice grinder and let cool completely.
9. Grind the seeds very coarsely.
10. Return the ground spices to the saucepan.
11. Add the water, vinegar, sugar and salt and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar.
12. Spread the fennel slices in a large, shallow, heatproof dish in an even layer.
13. Pour the pickling liquid over the fennel and let cool to room temperature.
14. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
15. In a colander, toss the eggplant with 1/2 teaspoon of salt.
16. Set a small plate on the eggplant and let stand for 1 hour to release the bitter juices.
17. Pat the eggplant dry.
18. In a large skillet, heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil.
19. Add the eggplant and cook over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until browned and tender, about 4 minutes.
20. Add the shallot and chile and cook, stirring, until softened, about 2 minutes.
21. Season with salt and pepper and stir in the mint and parsley leaves.
22. In a small bowl, toss the chopped mint and parsley with the remaining 2 teaspoons of olive oil and season with salt.
23. Spoon the eggplant onto plates.
24. Using a serrated knife, cut the pork belly into 1/4-inch-thick slices; set the slices next to the eggplant.
25. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the pickled fennel to the plates.
26. Garnish with the chopped herbs and serve.

pork belly, salt, sweet pimenton, herbes, black, water, vinegar, sugar, kosher salt, fennel bulbs, eggplant, extravirgin olive oil, shallot, red chile, mixed small mint

Taken from www.foodandwine.com/recipes/slow-roasted-pork-belly-eggplant-and-pickled-fennel (may not work)