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Giuseppe Schirripa - Head Chef - Salvo's Restaurant & Salumeria
I started my career while still at school, working weekends at “Le Celle”, a restaurant in north Leeds which had begun life as a police station. I then spent the mid to late ’90’s at Est Est Est, being based in Leeds but often travelling to Lancashire and Cheshire to work at other branches. I joined Salvo’s in 1999 and, apart form a 3 year hiatus, haven’t looked back.
My main interest, aside from cooking, are sport and music. I’m an avid Liverpool supporter and regularly travel to games. I also enjoy going to gigs and festivals, although with my first child due in the New Year opportunities may be more limited..!
Giuseppe’s cut of the month is Outdoor West Moor Pork Belly from Easingwold.
Maiale al aceto con pepperoni agrodolce.
Recipe serves 4
For the belly pork: ˝ kg pork belly, skin on. 2 large sprigs of thyme. 1 lrg lemon, sliced. 3 finely sliced garlic cloves.3 bay leaves. Sea salt flakes, crushed black peppercorns. Splash of olive oil.
For the agro dolce peppers: 2 lrg red peppers. 100gr grams capers. 2 finely sliced garlic cloves. 1 small bunch of parsley, finely chopped. 10 tbs Gold Riserva white balsamic (you can use any good quality white wine vinegar as an alternative). 4tbs sugar.
Method:
Take belly pork and rub well with the olive oil, sea salt and pepper. Place the remaining ingredients on the skinless side of the pork, then wrap the whole thing in cling film, taking care to seal it well. Take the belly pork and place between two sheets of aluminium foil, folding over the edges to form a tightly sealed parcel. Place in a deep roasting tray and cover with water heated to around 90c. Cook in an oven preheated to 150c for approx 2 hours, or until the belly pork is tender. Once cooked, remove from water but leave wrapped in cling film and press lightly in fridge overnight.
Once pressed, remove from cling film and discard the lemon, garlic, thyme and bay leaves. Remove skin from belly pork (this should just peel off but take care to keep the meat in one piece). To make crispy crackling to garnish the dish once finished cut the skin into long strips, season well with sea salt and place on a roasting tray between two sheets of baking parchment, making sure you weigh down the top sheet with another tray to prevent the skin from curling during the cooking process. Bake in an oven preheated to 170c for approx 30 mins, or until the skin is golden and crispy.
Next take the red peppers and cut in half lengthways. Remove the seeds, place in a roasting tray and drizzle with olive oil. Roast in an oven preheated to 250c for approx 15-20 mins, or until the peppers are tender. Once cooled slightly peel the pepper and cut into strips. Set aside for now. In a medium sized frying pan heat a little oil. Add the sliced garlic and fry over a medium heat for a couple of minutes until softened. Add the capers, parsley and peppers, fry for a further minute. Add the sugar and vinegar, cook until most of the liquid has evaporated. Season with sea salt and black pepper to taste. Set aside.
To finish the belly pork cut into 4 equal pieces and place in a roasting tray. Place a large knob of butter along with some thyme on each piece. Drizzle with olive oil and season with sea salt and black pepper. Roast in oven preheated to 190c for approx 12-15 mins, basting frequently. Once cooked remove from oven and plate. Spoon over the red peppers and garnish with the crackling. Serve with grilled asparagus and rosemary roasted new potatoes.
Buon Appetito
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