Pork Belly and Market Vegetable Spring Rolls with Blood Orange Dipping Sauce
Source: Greg Lutes, 3rd Cousin
Recipe Type: Appetizers and Sides | Seasons: Spring, Winter
This recipe was demonstrated for CUESA’s Market to Table program on May 13, 2017.
This recipe makes a lot more pork belly than you will need for the spring rolls. This has a wide variety of potential uses, and will keep, refrigerated, for about 4 to 5 days.
INGREDIENTS
Braised Pork Belly
5 pounds Devil’s Gulch Ranch pork belly
4 tablespoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cups diced onions
1 cup diced celery
1 cup diced carrots
6 whole star anise
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 cup soy sauce
1 bunch fresh thyme
Dipping Sauce
1 cup red chili sauce
½ cup blood orange juice
¼ cup rice vinegar
Spring Rolls
16 10-inch rice paper wrappers
2 cups thinly sliced lettuce
2 cups bean sprouts
2 cups grated carrot
2 cups julienned cucumber
2 cups avocado strips
PREPARATION
For the pork belly: Preheat the oven to 300°F. Rub the pork belly with salt and pepper. Place in a 4-inch-deep pan and add the rest of the ingredients. Cover with water, then cover tightly with foil and braise in the oven for 3-4 hours (until quite tender). Allow to cool for an hour, then slice into strips 1 inch by 3 inches by ¼ inch. Set aside on a sheet pan for reheating before making the rolls.
To make the sauce: Combine all ingredients in a bowl and set aside.
To prepare the spring rolls: Lay out a clean tea towel or set out a large, clean cutting board on a flat surface. Pour warm water into a large heatproof bowl until half full. Submerge a rice paper wrapper in the water until it’s pliable, about 20-30 seconds. Transfer the wrapper to the towel or cutting board (make sure it’s completely flattened out), and add 2 tablespoons each of the lettuce, bean sprouts, carrot, cucumber and avocado. Top with a few strips of the pork belly. Fold in the sides of the wrapper and roll up firmly to enclose the filling. Cover with a damp tea towel while you are preparing the remaining rolls, to prevent the rolls from drying out. Repeat with the remaining wrappers and filling. Serve with the dipping sauce on the side.
