Name: Colin’s pork belly banh mi
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 80 min
Total time: 115 min
Ingredients: 1kg pork belly, scored and left on a plate in fridge, uncovered, for 2 days to dry and form a crust; Oil and sea-salt flakes (to rub on pork); 6 crusty bread rolls, split; Pate; 150g salted butter; 1 brown onion, chopped; 6 cloves garlic, chopped; 1/2 bunch thyme; 2 bay leaves; 100ml pouring cream; 2 Tbsp olive oil; 400g chicken livers, cleaned; Sea salt, to season; 1 Tbsp fish sauce, to taste; Ground white pepper, to taste; Chilli vinegarette; 200ml white wine vinegar; 50ml water; 2 tsp sugar; 2 bird’s-eye chillies, finely chopped; 2 Tbsp fish sauce; Root and stem of 1 bunch coriander, washed and chopped; Salad; 1 butter lettuce, leaves trimmed and washed; 3 carrots, julienned; 6 green onions, trimmed into lengths; 1 cup coriander leaves; 2 large lebanese cucumbers, cut into long strips; Lime wedges, to serve

Forget fancy restaurants, the best food is found on the streets and this week Colin’s making his favourite street food of all time: Banh Mi.

The thing that really takes this dish to the next level is Colin’s homemade pâté, which is way easier to make than you might think.

Ingredients

1kg pork belly, scored and left on a plate in fridge, uncovered, for 2 days to dry and form a crust

Oil and sea-salt flakes (to rub on pork)

6 crusty bread rolls, split

Pate

150g salted butter

1 brown onion, chopped

6 cloves garlic, chopped

1/2 bunch thyme

2 bay leaves

100ml pouring cream

2 Tbsp olive oil

400g chicken livers, cleaned

Sea salt, to season

1 Tbsp fish sauce, to taste

Ground white pepper, to taste

Chilli vinegarette

200ml white wine vinegar

50ml water

2 tsp sugar

2 bird’s-eye chillies, finely chopped

2 Tbsp fish sauce

Root and stem of 1 bunch coriander, washed and chopped

Salad

1 butter lettuce, leaves trimmed and washed

3 carrots, julienned

6 green onions, trimmed into lengths

1 cup coriander leaves

2 large lebanese cucumbers, cut into long strips

Lime wedges, to serve

Method

Step 1

For pate, heat butter in a frying pan on medium low heat. Add onion, garlic and herbs. Saute 5–10 minutes, until onion is tender but not coloured. Add cream, bring to a gentle simmer. Remove bay leaves. Transfer to blender.

Step 2

Heat a clean frying pan on high heat. Add oil and then livers. Cook, without turning, for 2 minutes or until seared. Turn livers and cook a further 1–2 minutes or until just pink in the middle. Season. Add to the onion mixture in the blender, along with the fish sauce and pepper. Blend until smooth. Remove blender bowl. Cover and refrigerate until cold.

Step 3

To cook pork, preheat oven to 240°C/220°C fan-forced.

Step 4

Place pork onto a wire rack in a roasting pan. Rub with oil and salt. Cook for 25 minutes. The skin should be crisp and crackled.

Step 5

Reduce heat to 180°C/160°C fan-forced and cook for a further 1 hour to 1 hour 20 minutes or until the meat is tender.

Step 6

To make vinaigrette, blend all ingredients until smooth.

Step 7

To assemble, cut pork into thick slices. Spread pate onto base of split rolls. Top with lettuce, carrot, onion, coriander, cucumber and sliced pork. Spoon over vinaigrette. Serve with lime wedges.

banh mi 3 rolls with pickled carrot pork belly and coriander on top

Colin Fassnidge Chef

Colin brings his signature cheeky Irish flair to Better Homes and Gardens, joining the top-rating lifestyle program during its 30th anniversary year and becoming the latest ingredient in Australia’s favourite Friday night tradition.

Ingredients

Method

Related

Related stories

About your privacy

Related