This week Tony Astle last ate at Tempero, a Latin Restaurant and Bar on Auckland’s K Road.

They offer a blend of the rich heritage of Latin cuisine with modern innovation, resulting in a “symphony of flavours that will delight your palate.”

Tony sampled the pickled mussels, the lamb tacos, the braised spare ribs, among other things, with his favourite being the Feijoada. Overall, he gives Tempero four ticks.

LISTEN ABOVE

Ingredients:

Pork belly confit:

1 side pork belly

1 tbsp chopped thyme

4 star anise, crushed

10 coriander seeds, crushed

6 cloves, crushed

2 medium sized onions, chopped

1 head garlic, chopped

30 ml oil

1.5 litres duck or pork fat

1.5 litres beef or chicken stock

Oriental dressing:

100 ml sesame oil

100 ml olive or peanut oil

50 ml soy sauce

50 ml mirin

20 ml lemon juice

1 clove garlic, crushed

½ tsp chilli paste

1 tsp grated ginger

Roast Tomato:

4 vine ripe tomato

Malden salt

2 tsp oil

Method: Pork belly

1. In a frenzied attack, stab the pork skin with a fork or skewer.

2. Rub in the herbs and spices all over the pork.

3. Place on a non-corrosive tray, cover and refrigerate for 24 hours.

4. Heat oven to 160 degrees celcius.

5. Saute onions and garlic in oil until brown. Do not burn.

6. Place the pork in a roasting dish, skin side up. Smear with the onion garlic mix.

7. Melt the fat in a saucepan and then add stock. Whisk together, then pour over pork.

8. Cover pork with baking paper, then seal the roasting dish with foil.

9. Bake for 3 hours. Remove from the oven, cool, cover, and refrigerate.

10. The fat/stock can be kept for future use. It can be frozen.

Method: Oriental dressing

Place all ingredients into a bottle and shake well.

Method: Roast tomato

1. Heat oven to 160 deg C.

2. Drizzle the tomato with oil, sprinkle it with salt.

3. Roast in the oven 15-20 min.

4. Remove from the oven, cool the tomato.

Ingredients to Assemble:

8 slices cold pork belly

oil for greasing

16 scallops

75 g mixed greens

1 carrot, peeled, julienned

1 courgette, julienned

16 snow peas, julienned

roasted tomato

oriental dressing

Final Assembly:

1. Preheat oven to 160 deg C.

2. Slice cold pork belly into 5 mm slices.

3. Oil four metal egg rings (85mm), and line with two slices of pork belly.

4. Place on greased tray, and heat in oven until pork is hot.

5. As the pork heats, saute the scallops. Do not over cook. Set aside.

6. In a bowl toss the salad ingredients in the oriental dressing.

7. Run a knife around the edges of the pork moulds to loosen. Plate the pork.

8. Place three scallops atop the pork, then the salad.

9. Gently and carefully remove the egg metal ring.

10. Lean remaining scallops and tomatoes against the pork, drizzle with dressing.

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