A SLOW ROASTED ROLLED LAMB BELLY FOR SPRING and A FRESH KOHLRABI SLAW WITH APPLE, HERBS AND HORSERADISH
I struggled a bit with the naming of this one. Lamb porchetta doesn’t really make any sense now does it?
It is essentially the same idea as a porchetta though, with a different animal. I’m pleased to see lamb belly become more available, and at a fairly reasonable price too. It’s a fantastic cut, with plenty of delicious potential, so long as you give it enough time in the oven to yield and melt down into a tender, flavourful dream. The longer, the better; don’t be impatient. Give it time and love. Roll it up the day before, hell, even cook it the day before, as it will reheat beautifully.
And the leftovers? Sandwich heaven. Trust me. It’s one of those excellent prep recipes that us chefs love, dare I say it, a heat and eat. Use a cast iron casserole or Dutch oven for cooking - in any case, something with a lid, so that it can slow cook gently without drying out. Any liquid at the bottom of the pan will reduce into an unctuous sauce to go over the top.
Reduced balsamic, or balsamic crema, is a useful wee thing for your pantry. It provides a sweet-sour umami kick that works damn well with lamb. Sabato have an excellent one - look them up online.