Will Wonders Never Cease?
I did something new and different this month. I actually followed a recipe to the “T.” Crazy, right?
I was gifted a wonderful cookbook by friends Paul and Richard — Polpo, a self-described “Venetian cookbook (of sorts)” by Russell Norman. It is a thing of beauty, not just because of the recipes, but because the design of the book itself is stunning. It invites you in and lets you settle into the incredible cuisine within, accompanied by gorgeous photos by Jenny Zarin. Additional to the book’s beauty, it sits flat when open. I hope someday to visit the eponymous restaurant in Venice.
When we first received it, we went through page-by-page saying, “We should make this,” as we perused each recipe. Today, I am sharing one we made recently for Pork Belly, Radicchio & Hazelnuts, which we paired with a Corsican red wine from Clos Sulana (you can read more on the Provence WineZine). It is a simple recipe with outstanding flavor and textures. I put this under the category of “mental health food.” (Because no cardiologist would ever prescribe it!)
~ David
Pork Belly, Radicchio & Hazelnuts
To print this recipe, please click the small printer icon below.
Ingredients
- 200 grams (7 ounces) hazelnuts
- 1 onion, thickly sliced into rings
- 1 kilogram (2.2 pounds) pork belly
- flaky sea salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large head of radicchio
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F and roast the hazelnuts on a baking sheet for 5 minutes, taking care they do not burn. Leave to cool, then roughly chop.
- Turn the oven up to 240°C/450°F. Put the sliced onion into a roasting tin (I used a 9-inch cake pan) and place the pork belly on top, skin side up. While the oven comes up to temperature, score the skin of the pork with a very sharp knife or a razor blade.
- Rub salt into the skin and smear with a little oil. Place the pork in the preheated oven for 10-15 minutes, until browned.
- Turn the oven down to 160°C/325°F and continue to cook for about 1 hour or until tender. During the cooking time add a little water if the pork and onions start sticking or burning. Remove the pork belly when cooked and allow to rest and cool slightly. Collect all juices and the onions from the pan and pass through a fine sieve pressing on the onion rings to release their juices.
- Core the radicchio and remove all the leaves, tearing large ones in half. Place in a large mixing bowl. Use the strained warm pork juices to dress the radicchio salad with the toasted and chopped hazelnuts.
- Slice the pork belly and place in the bowl with the radicchio and hazelnuts. Splash over the red wine vinegar and add a pinch of salt and pepper. Scrunch the salad together with your hands so that the dressing mixes through and the radicchio warms and wilts.
- Serves 4-6.
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Provençal Pairings: Wine with Food Never Have I Ever - Provence WineZine
April 5, 2025 at 3:36 am[…] is Pork Belly, Radicchio & Hazelnuts from Polpo by Russell Norman. You can find the recipe on Cocoa & Lavender. I could tell just from looking at the recipe that the dish would be fantastic, so I went out […]
Mimi Rippee
April 5, 2025 at 6:05 amI was gifted the book Polpo as well! It’s a gorgeous book. Somehow I missed seeing this recipe?!! It sounds so good, and it looks like a still life painting.
Cocoa & Lavender
April 5, 2025 at 8:32 amDon’t you just love the cookbook, Mimi? I love the actual design, and every recipe has been a winner,
Mad Dog
April 5, 2025 at 6:22 amThat looks delicious – simple and elegant. Pork’s not that bad for you, especially if the pig has been living on acorns or peanuts – the fat will be high in oleic acid, which is the main constituent (70%) of olive oil!
Cocoa & Lavender
April 5, 2025 at 8:33 amThst is great to know about the oleic acid, Mad Dog. It makes a huge difference where you get your pork, doesn’t it? Looking forward to the world’s best pork in Spain!
Mad Dog
April 5, 2025 at 12:41 pmI believe that Extremadura is the Iberian back pig, de bellota (acorn fed), capital of Spain. As I’m sure you know, the Spanish eat huge quantities of pork and ham, with lard being used as a cooking fat in the pork regions. Spain is due to become the country with the longest living people (Japan is expected to drop to number two) in 2026. People in the Camargue (France) similarly live a very long time and cook with duck fat, which is also very high in oleic acid.
There’s no guarantee, but good quality olive oil or animal fats, with fresh vegetables, fruits, nuts, meat and fish are what the Mediterranean diet is all about.
Carolyne
April 5, 2025 at 6:31 amThat combination looks like art on a plate. I can’t wait to see what other recipes you cook from Polpo.
Cocoa & Lavender
April 5, 2025 at 8:34 amWell, I always like to think of my meals as art on a plate, so this works for me, Carolyne! I think I’ll be making a lot of recipes from within.
Susan Manfull
April 5, 2025 at 7:06 amBeautiful photos! I imagine that the wine pairing you suggest is a perfect one! I will begin looking for pork belly, something I don’t think we’ve ever welcomed to our kitchen!
Cocoa & Lavender
April 5, 2025 at 8:36 amWell, of course you have had pork belly in your kitchen — just different forms: prosciutto, bacon, etc. With all the good butchers you have there, you should have no problem finding a nice piece! And Asian grocers are often a good source!
Barb
April 5, 2025 at 7:22 amWhat a beautiful, inviting salad that is perfect for cold spring days like we are currently experiencing. It is hard to believe you followed a recipe without tweaking anything! I find recipes that a cardiologist wouldn’t prescribe to be the very best ones! The wine you paired with it sounds like a perfect match.
Cocoa & Lavender
April 5, 2025 at 8:37 amI am with you 100%, Barb — if a recipe is cardiologist recommended, I probably wouldn’t want it! Glad you like the recipe — and it is perfect for these still-cold evenings!
Pauline McNee
April 5, 2025 at 2:32 pmWow David, I could really taste the flavours as I read your recipe. What a different approach too, to use the juices from the onions and pork as the dressing. Radicchio is just wonderful for flavour and definitely presentation isn’t it? Your photos are beautifully styled too David. I would love to see this book. Well done!
Eha Carr
April 5, 2025 at 2:46 pmWhat a different and simple and brilliant recipe innovatively served as usual. Have never cooked or eaten anything quite like it and, as usual, love how it is plated! I don’t quite agree about the ‘cardiologist’ bit – pork from pigs raised in the modern manner is much healthier than beef and here it is cooked in a very heart-friendly manner, so 🙂 ? Enjoy – shall repost if able!