Soy Sesame Ginger Marinated Pork Belly Roll - Roasted Crispy Skin

someone please stop me from buying a pork belly EVERY WEEK !

I CAN'T HELP MYSELF

i love how versatile it is.  you can dress it up for a fancy dinner party or simply slice a piece off for quick sear.  you can go straight up crispy porkalicious...or...a fresh herb roll, maybe a spicy Mexican belly?  how about a brown sugar apple onion crispy skin slab OR for this one i went with some Asian flavors and tried a simple overnight marinade.

i'm also in love with "THE ROASTED ROLL"

the crispy skin surrounds the whole roast and the inside is well flavored and super moist.  of course it's at it's prime just 20 minutes out of the oven, but left-overs are great.  after it's chilled the roll slices very easily for a good quick sear.  i can have an unctuous pork belly meal any time of day.  breakfast is delicious with a fried egg and maple syrup, lunch might be a few lettuce wraps and dinner?...well...i don't eat dinner after all that belly during the day, but i'm sure a slab with some mash or polenta would work well for anybody. 

the roll is also a great way to disguise a flawed, or not so great looking, slab of pork belly...

this one came out quite good considering the piece i started with.

my pork belly was sadly misshapen.  i was not a happy camper when i unwrapped the belly at 10pm.  i had intended this to be a big beautiful slab of pork belly for all to admire.  instead i got one with a big chunk taken out of the skin, meat falling apart and... 

A BOOB !

this boob or "extra bit" has happened to me before with Jamie Oliver's Crispy Pork Belly with extra BITS post.  you might notice the boob is at the very bottom-end of the belly.  maybe the big chunk taken out was another boob?

MARINADE

you might not use it all depending on your cooking method.  i should have reserved some for a nice sauce.

1/3 cup soy sauce

1/3 cup Shaoxing wine

1 1/2 Tbsp sesame oil

2 Tbsp brown sugar, packed

1 tsp fresh ginger, pressed through garlic press

a few slices of fresh ginger

1 clove garlic sliced thin

2 scallions, sliced (about 3 Tbsp.)

ROLLING AND ROASTING...

this was a 2.15 pound boneless pork belly

rinse and dry your pork belly.  

poke holes in the skin with sharp skewer and score the belly(as shown) with a sharp knife OR BOX CUTTER

(i did not do a uniform job on this one because this belly was very unruly)

preheat the oven to 320F, NON-convection.
ROLL THE  ROAST AS DISCUSSED BELOW.

cover roasting pan with aluminum foil for easy clean up.

slice 2 onions, thick, and lay them under a roasting rack, as shown.

pour just a little stock or wine over the onions so there will be a little moisture going in the oven.

place roast on rack and LOOSELY tent the roast.

put in oven and check every hour.  check to see that there is still a little liquid in the roasting pan...add a touch more whenever needed.  depending on the size it should be fork tender in about 3 1/2 to 4 hours.

remove tent and crank the oven up to 380F convection.  i had the top element turned on as well.  you could go straight broiler element at 400F if you do not have convection..  watch carefully until the skin starts to puff and is good and crispy, but not burnt.  you may want to rotate the roast to get even crisp.

remove from oven and let rest for 20 minutes.

use a very very sharp knife to slice.  the crispy skin is a bit difficult, but that's part of the charm.  the chef gets the crisp bits that fall off.

BELOW ARE A FEW PHOTOS FOR SOME VISUAL AID

 find a vessel that the belly will fit snug in.  put marinade in, but don't let it come up to the skin...just the meat should be marinated.  put this in the fridge, uncovered so the skin will be as dry as possible.  marinade overnight.

remove from marinade, being careful not to get the skin wet...if possible.  if rolling...place skin side down on some paper towels, add your extras, roll and tie it up.  get help...you'll need an extra set of hands.
NOTE...an after thought...i would put some of the solids from the marinade inside the roll.  ie. the scallion, ginger, garlic and some brown sugar and a drizzle of sesame oil.  this would bump up the flavor a bit more than mine.

 i decided to roll this piece.  it was so misshapen and kind of falling apart.  as you can see i practically put the thing in bondage to hold it together.  once it was cooked and had taken shape, i removed some of the strings to crisp the skin...not the 3 holding the roll together.

in the oven partially tented so as not to brown the skin too quickly.

i watched the skin carefully.  when the top and sides were popping and crispy i turned it over to get the underside a bit crisp.  this is not necessary, but i was experimenting to get the entire skin crispy.  it worked...with a watchful eye and tender loving care.

OFF TO BUY ANOTHER BELLY...
stay tuned for the next one.
i think i might go spicy Mexican flavors

Rolled and Roasted Pork Belly with Fresh Herbs

THE BELLY ROLL...

seasoned, rolled and slow roasted.

unctuous crispy porky goodness.

super easy, no fail pork belly roll.  i've done it twice...once with the savory aromatics and once with brown sugar and chipotle.  each belly requires a little different cooking method and time due to the size and shape of the meat.  this one was done half way in the dutch oven, then moved to a roasting rack.  i suppose the total cooking could be done on the rack, but i wanted to maintain as much moisture as possible and i didn't want the outside to get burnt...this was a very small belly.

this double cooking method produced a moist unctuous pork belly with crispy skin right out of the oven.  it's also delicious served sliced and seared to top off the ultimate burger or layered in a nice hot-off-the-grill panini....oh, maybe a fried egg on top for breakfast?

  anyway you serve it you can't go wrong when pork belly is involved.

don't forget to serve with those delicious rosemary wine pork fat  caramelized onions.

first poke holes all over with metal skewer.  then score skin with a box cutter, as shown.

mise en place your add-ins to make things easier and lower cross contamination. 

 evenly distribute salt, pepper, herbs and thin onion.  then roll and tie.  you might want an extra pair of hands to help get a nice tight roll.  as you can see i did use one tie to hold in the ends.

thick onion as a base with shallow wine and chicken stock...covered for the first hour, uncovered 2nd hour. 

move to roasting rack for another hour or until fork tender, at 325F convection...then crank the oven to 430F and keep a watchful eye 'til skin is crispy.  

ROASTED PORK BELLY ROLL
with fresh herbs

2 lbs, pork belly with skin

(choose a meaty-flatter piece if possible)

1 Tbsp fresh rosemary, minced

1 Tbsp fresh thyme, minced

3-4 Tbsp fresh Italian parsley, minced

about 1/4 onion very thin sliced

1 tsp kosher salt for the inside.

fresh ground pepper

more salt for the outside.

FOR THE DUTCH OVEN if using for the first hour.

2 small white onions, sliced thick

6-8 cloves garlic
a few sprigs rosemary

1/3 cup white wine.

approx. 1/4 cup chicken broth

note...liquids according to size dutch oven.  liquid should not touch the pork roast.  approx. 1/2 inch will do.

preheat oven to 320F

wash the belly and make sure there are no lingering stray hairs.  dry it well.  poke holes in the skin all over with a sharp skewer, as shown.  score the skin with a box cutter, as shown.  with skin side down, dress the meat side with salt and pepper.  mine took about 1 tsp salt...i had a rather small piece.  sprinkle herbs and lay out some thin slices of onion, as shown.  get your string cut and ready.  roll the belly.  it's easier if you have a friend help with this to get it tight. if it doesn't work well one way, go a head and try the other end first.  stuff will fall out, but don't worry.  i used three strings going around and one string holding the ends in.  pork belly can protrude in strange directions and i wanted a nice tight roast.  

dry the outside with a paper towel and sprinkle with salt.

this step might not be necessary, but i started in a dutch oven....

i think it helped cook the roast for a while in a nice moist environment.  and it made some delicious rosemary wine onions that were later caramelized when roasting.

put the thick slices of onion and the garlic cloves in the bottom of a dutch oven with a few rosemary sprigs.  lay the roast on top.  add the wine and enough chicken stock to just cover the onions, not touching the pork belly (example photo).

put in the oven covered for 1 hour.  then uncovered for the next hour.

now take the roast out and put it on a rack.  or an aluminum covered tray with the onions underneath (example photo).  i turned the convection on.  roast for 1 more hour.  poke it and see if it is really fork tender.  fork tender all the way through.  you be the judge.  it is very hard to over cook a pork belly.  when fork tender turn the oven up to 430F convection and watch until the skin gets crisp, but not burnt.

take it out and let it rest for about 20 minutes

remove strings and slice with a very sharp knife.

OR...for a delicious warm thick slice on a big burger or sandwich...

cool completely before storing.  i like to wrap in parchment inside a tupperware and lay the cover on...not snapped shut.  the cut roast photos were taken the next day and the skin was still crispy.

i like to rewarm in a medium heat skillet with a touch of butter on both sides.

Pig Cheeks wrapped with Bacon, Brown sugar and Onion

MOVE OVER PORK BELLY...

there's a new kid in town.

PIG CHEEK ROCKS !!!

not that this is any new big discovery, but i have just recently fallen in love.  i simply can not explain how unctuous this small little nugget of pig meat is.  i've had beef cheeks before and they are absolutely fabulous in this recipe for Beef Cheek Barbacoa, but they are a bear with all the sinew and fatty bits that need trimming.  the pig cheeks, on the other hand, are small, thin, clean and easy to work with...i buy mine at one of my favorite Asian markets in Irvine, H Mart.

PIG CHEEK wrapped in BACON ?

EVEN BETTER.

the perfect HOG HEAVEN FOR TWO.

but...will serve four generously.

this is what my cheeks looked like.  there was a good layer of fat on the other side of the larger one.  this was almost 1 pound.

FOR THE RECIPE/INSTRUCTIONS...

please read through...some of it is visual

everything is approx. because you never know what size cheeks you're going to find, but this is what you'll need....

FOR THE ROAST...

pig cheeks....3/4 to 1 pound

1/4 white onion, very thin slices

2-3 Tbsp brown sugar

1 tsp kosher salt

fresh ground pepper

a few dashes of cumin

optional...red pepper flakes or cayenne or chili powder or Mrs Dash South Western Chipotle

9-11 slices long bacon...buy the longest, not the center cut

butchers string

preheat oven to 325F.

lay the bacon out as shown.  the bacon strips that will be wrapping around the outside should be on the board first.  the strips that will cover the ends go across.  in my case i had 2 pieces so i dressed the first one (photo above) and laid the 2nd on top (not shown) with a few extra sprinkles of salt, brown sugar and spices.

roll the meat first.  then wrap the bacon that will cover the ends.  next wrap the outer layer.  you might need to cut a little bacon off so as not to over lap too much.

pre-cut your strings so you are not fumbling for the scissors...tie the string around the ends first.  i used two.  then 3 to four strings around the body holding the bacon on.  this is not as difficult as you may think, but an extra hand in the kitchen helps hold things together.

FOR THE DUTCH OVEN...

1 to 1 1/2 green apple, cored and sliced thick

1 to 1 1/2 white onion, sliced thick

enough chicken stock to just cover the onions.

brown sugar to sprinkle on top.

place thick slices of onion and apple on the bottom to act as a trivet or rack and place the roast on top as shown.

the roast in photo was in the oven for approx. 3 1/2 hours total.
roast for 2 hours with the lid on.  check on the roast.  check the liquid.  you don't want the roast sitting in liquid.  roast for another hour.  peek after 30 minutes and give it a poke.  is it fork tender?...is it starting to brown?  if it is fork tender, but not brown, remove the lid, turn up the oven to 350F and watch it so you don't burn the bacon.
mine fully cooked and browned (as shown) in the covered dutch oven about  3 1/2 hours.
remove the roast and carefully remove the onion ringlets with a slotted spoon.  these are delicious pork fat caramelized onions.  if the onions are not browned enough, put the dutch oven uncovered back in the big oven without the roast and cook to your satisfaction...don't forget them in the oven while you are noshing away at the pork roast.

LET THE GLISTENING PIG CHEEK REST!
for about 20 minutes

slice and serve...
refrigerate left over...if there is any...but wrap in parchment.  the bacon should still be a bit crispy the next day.  reheat a nice thick slice on a medium heat skillet, lightly searing both sides.

Crispy Skin Bone-in Pork Belly by Bill Granger

here you are...as promised ...

the 3 to 4 hour PORK BELLY

if you've been following along you probably read about the delicious 3 DAY Pork Belly.  well, this one takes about 3-4 HOURS and it's just as pork-belly-icious!.  

i always say...

"you can't go wrong with pork belly".

this technique produces the ultimate crispy crunchy skin and...

juicy fat dripping tender pork belly.

two things that i had never tried before... cooking a pork belly with the bone in and cooking skin side down for the first few hours. 

for some reason it's a little more expensive with the bone, but that's only about $3.59 a pound.  more money = more delicious?...not a big difference, but the meat next to the bones and the ribs i ate immediately were fall-off-the-bone delicious.

after it was all finished, i removed the bones with a long sharp knife very close to the bones so that slicing the pork belly in serving portions would be much easier.  on Bill's show he was able to slice each portion with bone still attached which made for a nice plate presentation.   his servings looked like unctuous pork chops with belly fat and skin attached, if that makes sense.

here is the link to the recipe from the pork belly show.

the Caramel Vinegar Glaze is delicious as well.  i did not finish the glaze until late night so it didn't make the photo, but do try it.  i think it would go well with just about any pork dish...or chicken.

AND...as far as the skin side down results?... i'm pretty sure i will do it this way from now on...the skin was perfect !!!...extra crispy.

CRISPY SKIN BONE-IN PORK BELLY

with CARAMEL VINEGAR GLAZE

found HERE from the Cooking Channel

by Bill Granger

3 1/2 lb pork belly with bones
2 Tbsp kosher salt, plus more as needed
extra virgin olive oil, as needed
fresh ground black pepper

score the skin of the pork belly in criss-cross pattern as shown.  rub the salt into the skin and set aside for 30 minutes

preheat oven to 425 degrees.

wipe the salt off of the skin and dry well with a paper towel.  drizzle a large roasting pan with olive oil. as you can see, i lined the pan with tin foil for easier clean up...BAD IDEA.  the skin stuck in some areas where the oil did not meet the skin.  note to self...go for bare naked and deal with the clean up later, it's not all that bad.  anyway...place the pork skin side down on the roasting dish and season the top with salt and pepper and a drizzle of olive oil.  put in the oven for 30 minutes to sear the skin.  then  reduce the heat to 375F degrees.  continue cooking for another 1 1/2 to 2 (mine was in for about 2 1/2 hours), or until fork tender.  now remove from oven and carefully flip over so it is skin side up.  roast for another 30 minutes or until skin is good and crispy.  you might choose to use the broiler for a moment watching carefully!
remove the pork belly from the oven and let rest for at least 15-20 minutes.

the roast is easiest to cut with the skin side down on the board.  my bones were going the length of the pork belly so i removed them close to the bone.  (NOTE...the meat next to the bone is the chef's secret treasure bites). if your bones are going the width, you can slice a serving with bone attached for plating presentation and maximum enjoyment.

CARAMEL VINEGAR GLAZE
(not shown, but delicious)

1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
2 star anise
1 cinnamon stick
1 cup good chicken stock
juice from 1 orange,  plus 4 wide strips of orange peel
sea salt and fresh ground pepper

put the sugar, vinegar, star anise and cinnamon in a small sauce pan and cook, stirring over medium heat until the sugar has dissolved.  bring to a boil and simmer for about 5-10 minutes or until mixture is syrupy.  stir in chicken stock and simmer until slightly reduced.  add the orange juice and peel, reduce the hat to a low simmer until the mixture is thick and syrupy.  don't forget to season with salt and pepper when just about done.
NOTE...this took longer than expected.  give yourself 30-45 minutes for a nice syrupy glaze.

above is example of scoring.  my new favorite tool for the job is a razor sharp box cutter.

 above is before oven using tinfoil...bad idea.  don't use tinfoil... and below is after roasting with skin side down.  it should be fork tender at this point.  then it goes in skin side up for the final crisping of the skin.

Three Day Pork Belly

3 DAYS !?...

is it worth it ?!...

of course it is...
IT'S PORK BELLY !!!

necessary...? i don't know, but good things come to those who wait.

3 DAY PORK BELLY

1st day...dry brine

2.5 - 3 lb pork belly, with skin

1/4 cup kosher salt

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 tsp ground pepper

rub the pork belly with the brine mixture so it is well coated.  no need to use it all.  place in Ziploc baggie for 24 hours, flipping once in between.. 

2nd day..dry chilled air

wash the belly under cold water and dry with paper towels.  put it in the fridge, open-air, skin exposed over night.

3rd day...slow roast

2 green apple, sliced (not wedges)

1 yellow onion, sliced thick

1 bulb garlic, cut in half

3-4 Tbsp brown sugar

salt sprinkle for skin

when ready to roast, score the skin with a very sharp knife...making a diamond pattern.

line baking dish with heavy aluminum foil for easy clean up.  place sliced apple, onion and halves of garlic bulb on the bottom.  sprinkle some of the brown sugar over.  place belly on top. put a few slices of apple and onion around the exposed sides and sprinkle with more brown sugar.  sprinkle skin with a little salt (salt ONLY on skin).

cover with aluminum foil.

roast at 320F for approx. 4 hours or until the meat is fork tender.

uncover and put oven on broiler setting 420F for approx. 10 minutes...or until the skin gets good and crispy, but watch carefully so as not to burn.  i had to cover parts that were crisping too fast.

remove from oven and let sit to rest for at least 15-20 minutes before serving...slice the roast skin side down on the board for easier slicing through the crispy skin.  at this point you probably won't get a super clean slice, but it sure is good right out of the oven with it's crispy crunchy cracklin' skin.  don't forget to serve with the roasted garlic and onion that is slowly cooked confit-style in the pork fat...YUM

OR what i usually do...let it come to room temp and refrigerate for super clean slices as shown.  slice with skin side down for easier slicing.  warm slices in skillet, toaster oven, or carefully in the microwave "as needed".

AS NEEDED ...
breakfast, lunch AND dinner !

serve as sliders, with a poached egg, hand-to-mouth or with some CANNED SPICED PICKLED PEACHES...posting recipe soon.

NOTES...who knows if the 3 days are necessary.  it's hard to ruin a succulent piece of pork belly...it always turns out unctuous.

BUT...i will be making another one this weekend and i'm going to try a larger slab WITH BONES and it should be done in about 3 HOURS from start to finish.

Cured Pork Belly Roasted with Apple, Onion and Brown Sugar

PORK BELLY WINS AGAIN.

i go to the Asian market every few weeks just to pick up some fresh tofu and some chili oil...maybe a few sweets for Dad from the bakery next door...

how does that darn pork belly jump into my shopping cart every single time ? !

mmmmm...the pork belly is succulent, the bacon is crispy, the onion and gala apple are caramelized in brown sugar and pork fatty goodness...

HOW DOES ONE RESIST ?

even the nay-sayers will bow to the pork belly...

it's very hard to ruin and it is so versatile.  so many ways to cook and so many ways to present.

you can't go wrong...

THE HEART ATTACK NAPOLEON ?

pork belly stacked with brown sugar-butter sauteed apple topped with caramelized onion.  i hear the sirens approaching.  

defibrillator...CLEAR !

the 1st one was a bit small and only had skin on half...so i covered it with bacon and it was crunchy, smoky, baconie, fatty and delicious

2nd time...bigger slab with more skin/fat, no need for bacon wrap.  i used more apples and brown sugar...yumm.  these apples remained in large enough pieces to serve with the belly.

CURED PORK BELLY ROASTED WITH APPLES ONION AND BROWN SUGAR

CURING THE BELLY

i suppose this could be done in a ziploc freezer bag, but i like to use a tupperware or glass/ceramic loaf pan so that the skin is not soaking in the cure...what ever will fit the piece of pork belly you have bought.

1/4 cup kosher salt

1/4 cup brown sugar

1-2 tsp fresh ground pepper

buy yourself a 2-3 lb. slab of belly with skin...no bones

i like to wash and dry it completely with paper towels before doing the cure.

completely cover the belly with the mixture.  place skin/fat side up in non-reactive container just big enough to fit. cover and let sit in fridge for at least 24 hours. this is the all important curing process. after about 12 hrs you can pour some of the liquid out of the container. i did. 

after 24 hrs remove and wash remaining salt/sugar mixture off under cool water. dry completely. take a sharp sharp knife and cut slits through the skin but not to the flesh. i cut about every 1/2  inch or so.

if skin is removed just put some shallow slashes into the fat.

COOKING THE PORK BELLY

1 large white onion

2 gala or honey crisp apples...something sweet and crisp

brown sugar

bacon, if the belly has no skin

cut 1 large white onion into thick slices and layer the bottom of a roasting pan lined with heavy tin foil.  put pork belly on the onions...this is sort of a trivet to keep the pork off the bottom of the roasting pan.  if you want to use the bacon method then remove the skin, not the fat, from the pork belly...(some are only sold without the skin) and cover the top with the bacon strips as shown in photo.  place apple slices nice and snug around as shown in photos.  this  prevents the sides from getting too brown AND lets the apples cook in pork fatty goodness.  sprinkle brown sugar all around the sides on and around apples.

there are 2 ways to cook the belly...low and slow for the whole time...or Jamie Oliver's method.  i suggest if you are using the bacon on top you do the low and slow method so the bacon won't burn.
NOTE...i did not get a crisp crunchy skin with either method.  i was not concerned because i knew i would be refrigerating this and consuming the next day.  the skin should crisp in the pan or broiler later.  if it doesn't want to crisp up, just discard the skin and sear the fatty side before serving.

Jamie Oliver method ....put oven to "full whack" 450 F for the first thirty minutes and then down to 350 F for the next 2 hours...or until really fork tender.  this is a fabulous recipe that you might want to start with if you are unfamiliar with pork belly....straight up crispy skin roasted pork belly...delicious!

Low and slow...put in 225 F degree oven for 5-6 hours or until meat is very fork tender.  this depends on the size of your belly (the PORK belly, silly).  remove from oven and let cool as is. when cool enough, put it in the fridge for at least a few hours. this makes for easy slicing and preparing and way you see fit... and you can keep it there for the week as you whittle away at the slab.  slice against the grain and sear in a hot pan...or put a large slice in the oven to warm and then turn your broiler on to crisp the skin.

do with it what you will...
you can't go wrong with a delicious slab of apple brown sugar pork belly.

Out of the Past(ure)

Lately I have been homesick. Really homesick. In no small part for calm and simplicity.  Many things recently have been so Sisyphean here in my City of Angels. Or so it seems.  Everything is so big and heavy and more difficult than necessary.  People appear to be filled with drama or anger, or both, and take it out on the other drivers (or pedestrians) on the road, the Census taker on the other end of the phone line, or their server in a restaurant. I can hardly say I blame them. It’s a vicious cycle that I have fallen prey to as a result of my own recent circumstances: the nightmare of my unpredictable and mean-spirited next door neighbor, my evil, evil landlord (EVIL. GRR.), Beso’s doctor who won’t call me back, running into one someone I’d rather never lay eyes on again during lunch at Cheebo, money, driving, gas prices, traffic, crowds. A little jaunt from Point A to Point B, more often than not, seems a fairly substantial undertaking.  Not to worry; buck up I will.

So very recently I went back home for a visit. Fred came with me. I was overwhelmingly excited to see my dad, Paz, Spencer and everyone. I was mostly looking forward to chilling out, slowing down. To walk places. To munch a ginormous sandwich from Coppola's Deli on the James River. To lounge on my back deck. And to eat. Okay, and to drink some wine.

On our first night I trumped Dad’s call to go to Acacia (his fave). I had been there. I wanted to try Pasture. I had been hearing good things. It was new. It just opened last November under chef Jason Alley, who we know from his RVA standby, Comfort, along a stretch of Grace Street that has likely waited far too long for a little attention.

Upon entering, the space sort of took me aback a bit. It didn’t feel like Richmond. Instead of small, intimate, cozy and warm, it was big and airy and shiny and modern. It was very designed. Actually, I felt like I could have been in LA.

We had a drink at the large, wood bar (full bar) while we waited for our table. Dad and Fred had cocktails and Dale and I wined. After only about ten minutes we were seated.

And here’s what happened next…

Pimento cheese, crackers ($4). I am, admittedly, a huge pimiento cheese fan (note; I prefer the use of the optional I after the M and before the E (pimiento)). I love my mom’s recipe. The Duke’s mayonnaise and the zested sweet onion are key in creating the perfect texture. The slightest dash of Worcestershire is vital for that little somethin’ somethin’ that ignites your palate. Alley’s pimiento cheese was really nice, and more importantly, it was true. He served it topped with chopped fresh chives and alongside Ritz crackers. I applaud his confident choice of using Ritz rather than giving into the compulsion many have to bells-and-whistle it up with arm candy like crostini.

Deviled eggs, house cured rockfish roe ($5). Up there with the pimiento cheese love is my, perhaps, even greater affinity for deviled eggs. I make a mean one, myself. Again, I usually push to keep it simple. But Alley’s deviled eggs surprised and impressed me immensely. They were fresh and bright and rich without being cloying. They were simple and comfortable but different and exciting. That rockfish roe was a beautiful accompaniment to both the eyes and the palate. This dish was the New South. Classic dish, local ingredients, with a flare. In the right place. Taking the local rockfish and using the roe, the caviar if you will, was just perfect.

Marinated beets, chopped salad, avocado ranch ($9). This was a pleasant and ample salad. It was not, however, what I know to be a chopped salad. The greens were a little uninspired, calling it a day with just the romaine - but the beets were delicious, beautifully mandolined and served under the greenery which added an interesting visual effect.

Brussels sprouts, butternut squash, preserved lemon, pecan ($6). My father, who taught me so very much about food, the man who always insisted I, at least, try everything, the man who will eat anything, will not eat a Brussels sprout. He LOVED this dish. Jason Alley, that is one amazing feat. I will leave it at that.

Braised pork belly, ginger gravy, braised celery, celery leaf salad ($11). To be brutally honest, I’m a little burned out on the token pork belly dish every chef feels the need to pepper into their menus at present. Remember the sun-dried tomato tsunami from the 1980s? That being said, it is something I still enjoy putting in my mouth. I found this incarnation to be too busy. I agree that often pork belly, like foie gras, pairs well with a sticky sweetness, but the ginger gravy was too gelatinous and the sweetness sort of overwhelmed the meat. I really loved the peanuts in there, though.

Fingerling potatoes, apples, shallots ($5) add duck fat ($1). We added the duck fat. In fact, we ordered this one because we saw the words duck and fat next to one another. I would have liked to see these taters with a little bit of crispety-ness and a hair's breath more salt.

Carolina Gold rice, mushroom gravy ($7). I’m not certain that I have ever experienced Carolina Gold rice before, so I won’t pretend as though I have. I will say that, as a result of my ‘first time’ I will not be likely to order it if I spy it on a menu again. This was tremendously watered down long-grain rice topped with also watered down, flavorless mushroom gravy. None of us at the table had more than a taste.

Fried Barcat oysters, spicy tartar sauce ($10). This dish, these oysters, was fabulous. Some of the best I’ve had. Anywhere. The breading (Anson Mills?) was crisp and light and allowed the fresh, tart, impossibly juicy, and beautifully briny oyster to shine right on through. The tartar sauce was tart, citrusy and acted as an apt accomplice to those brilliant oysters. Kudos.

Olde Salt clams, cabbage, bacon, butter, lemon ($12). This was everyone’s favorite dish of the evening. Though a little more thought could have gone into the plating – one piece of un-toasted bread tossed on top, and the cabbage haphazardly strewn about over the clams – the flavors and textures were astonishing and delectable. 

Banana flan, peanut brittle, slated caramel ($7). I was reluctant because of the banana factor (and that I’m not much of a dessert person), but Fred made me taste it. And I’m glad he did. This was an absolute standout. Airy, delicate and rich. Subtly sweet with a crunchety brittle and salty caramel. Faultless.

“Rice grits” pudding, roasted pineapple, passion fruit, vanilla bean ($7). For those who know me, it’s obvious that this is not a dish I would order or even really want too close to me. But, that being said, those who tried it, loved it. In fact, this is one of Susan Winiecki’s, editor of Richmond Magazine, favorite desserts around town.

There were a lot of hits and only a few misses. I enjoyed my evening at Pasture. We all did. But what stuck with me was that it felt as though it could have been anywhere, in any city. It’s a destination restaurant but not necessarily an occasion restaurant. It's certainly worth a visit to this 'just getting turned around' neighborhood, because likely you won't just meander on in while walking, riding your bike or really even cruising around to or from something else. For example, I asked my dad if he liked Pasture and he said definitely. I asked him if he would frequent the place and he said he doubted it.

I stumbled across this quote of Jason Alley’s: “I want people to feel like they are getting out of town when they come here.”

Maybe that’s what Richmonders want and need. To feel like they’re getting out of town.

But coming from someone who has lived in big, ole, crazy, sprawly LA for the past ten years I think Richmond has fantastic food, incredible restaurants and amazing people cooking the food in their kitchens. And for the most part they are on the smaller side, welcoming and without pretense. But I get it - I dig Pasture and I can see why Richmond digs it, too. The thing here is I’m homesick, I want to be back home and when I’m there it’s hard to even imagine wanting to get out of town.

*For those curious about my title choice, click here.

Two years ago: Lima Beans in Cream & Butter