For me, this time of year evokes memories of childhood adventures and roasting chestnuts on the fire with my friend Elsa, so this dish has a special place in my heart. Pork belly strips are a great cut, because they can either be cooked quickly or slowly, and they’re relatively inexpensive, too. You don’t have to use spinach here – try it with red cabbage or cavolo nero instead; some steamed sprouts tossed with crisp bacon bits would also work. But definitely use the manzanilla sherry, because its salty tang works really well with the meat.
Sticky, sherry-braised pork belly with spinach and chestnuts
This is a great time of year for fresh chestnuts, so try roasting your own: first pierce them, then roast in a hot oven for 30 minutes, until they split. You can make this real winter-warmer in advance and freeze it for up to three months. Just make sure to defrost it fully before reheating and serving.
Prep 10 min
Cook 1 hr 20 min
Serves 4
2 tbsp olive oil
1kg pork belly strips
Salt and black pepper
2 red onions, peeled and cut into wedges
4 garlic cloves, peeled and left whole
4 thyme sprigs, leaves stripped
1 apple, peeled, cored and diced
250ml manzanilla sherry
150ml good chicken stock
2 x 400g tins chickpeas, drained and rinsed
150g peeled and cooked chestnuts (ready-made or home-roasted), roughly chopped
1 x 240g bag baby spinach
Heat the oven to 190C (170C fan)/375F/gas 5. Put the oil in a large casserole on a medium heat. Season the pork belly strips, then brown them really well all over in the hot oil – this will take about 10 minutes. Transfer the seared meat to a plate and set aside.
Spoon out all but two tablespoons of the fat in the pan – the pork belly will release a fair bit into the oil – then add the onion and fry gently, stirring, for five minutes. Add the garlic cloves, thyme and apple, fry for two minutes, then return the pork belly strips to the pan, add the sherry and bring to a boil. Cover the pot, transfer to the oven and cook for 30-40 minutes.
At this point, the meat should be tender and the juices should be well reduced but not entirely gone. Stir the stock, chickpeas, chestnuts and spinach into the pot, cover again and return to the oven for five minutes, until the spinach has wilted and everything is piping hot. Leave to rest for a few minutes, then serve.