Crispy glazed pork belly, tender sweet potato gnocchi, gingered coconut cream, fresh basil, chilis, and crunchy peanuts. This dish is sweet, spicy, and very rich.
To make the gnocchi, bake the sweet potato until tender. Peel off the skin and mash with a fork or ricer. Cool the potato completely before adding the egg yolk, then the flour. Resist the urge to add more flour at this stage. It’s ok if the dough is a little sticky. Lightly coat the dough with flour and divide. Roll each portion into 1-inch diameter logs, using only enough flour to keep the dough from sticking. The more flour used to make the gnocchi the tougher it will become. Cut the logs into 1-inch pieces.
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the gnocchi to the water and cook until they float. I like to let them float for a minute to make sure they are fully cooked before removing them from the water. Toss the gnocchi with oil and allow it to cool. Cooling the gnocchi before searing keeps them from sticking to the pan and breaking apart. The gnocchi can be made in advance up to this point and seared when ready to serve. Heat a skillet with oil over medium-high heat and sear the gnocchi until browned. Remove the gnocchi from the pan and season with salt.
The coconut sauce for this dish is very simple. Heat all the ingredients over medium-low heat for at least 30 minutes to give the flavors time to infuse. Turn the heat to low if the sauce begins to simmer or boil. The sauce can be kept over low heat until ready to serve. Strain the sauce before spooning it onto plates.
I’m using twice cooked pork belly that has been braised but not seared. Cut the pork into 1-1 1/2 inch squares. The squares should be about the same size as the gnocchi. Heat some of the sauce from the braise and keep it warm until ready to serve. Sear the pork belly on all sides until golden and crispy. I used the same skillet that I browned the gnocchi in to save on cleanup.
Arrange the gnocchi and the pork belly on the plates with the coconut sauce. Spoon the pork sauce over the belly pieces. Some of the glaze will pool in the coconut sauce adding some contrast. Garnish the dish with torn basil leaves, sliced chilis, and a sprinkling of toasted peanuts.
For a simpler presentation, toss the finished gnocchi in the coconut sauce and place it in a bowl. Toss the pork belly with the pork sauce and add to the gnocchi. Top with garnishes and serve.
Crispy Pork Belly with Sweet Potato Gnocchi
Ingredients
Sweet Potato Gnocchi
- 7 ounce sweet potato 1 large potato
- 1/8 cup ap flour
- 1 egg yolk
- 1/2 tsp oil
Coconut Cream
- 1 cup coconut cream
- 1/2 tsp ginger minced
- 2 basil stems with leaves
- 1/2 fresno chili sliced
- pinch salt
Pork Belly with Gnocchi
- 1-1 1/2 pounds twice cooked pork belly with sauce
- basil to garnish
- fresno chili sliced to garnish
- peanuts toasted and crushed
Instructions
Gnocchi
- Poke a bunch of holes in the sweet potato with a fork. Place in a 350 degree oven and bake until soft about an hour.
- Cool, peel, and mash the potato. Mix with the egg and the flour. Roll the dough into 1 inch diameter logs and cut into 1 inch pieces.
- Cook gnocchi in a pot of boiling salted water. They are cooked when they float. Remove from the water and coat with oil.
- When ready to serve, heat a large skillet with oil over medium high heat. Add the gnocchi and cook until brown and crisp. Season with salt.
Coconut Cream
- Combine all ingredients in a pot. Heat over medium low heat for 30 minutes or until ready to serve. Strain the sauce before serving.
Pork belly with gnocchi
- Cut the pork belly into 1 1/2 inch pieces and sear on all sides. Heat up the pork belly sauce.
- Spoon coconut cream on plates. Add the gnocchi and pork belly to the plates. Spoon the pork belly sauce over the pieces of pork belly.
- Garnish with basil, peanuts, and fresno chilis.
