Apple cider pork belly

Ingredients
• Vegetable oil
• 1 large slab pork belly
• One large yellow onion
• One large apple
• 5-6 cloves garlic
• 1 container pancetta
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 1 cup cider (Weston’s premium organic preferred)
• ¼ cup apple juice
• ¼ cup cider vinegar

Directions
• Pre-heat the oven to gas mark 2
• In a large cast-iron pot with top, heat the oil and brown the pork belly on both sides – do not rush this step.
• Move the pork belly to a plate.
• Chop large pieces of onion and apple. Mash the garlic cloves. Add all, and pancetta, to the oil in the pot. Heat on medium-low heat for about 6 minutes.
• Add the pork belly back into the pot and add in the liquid ingredients. Raise to medium heat, bring to a boil and let simmer for six minutes.
• Cover with tin foil and place the lid on the pot. Put in the oven and cook for 2-3 hours. Flip the pork belly midway through cooking.
• Right before serving, put the pork belly on a baking sheet and, using the grill option, put the fat as close to the flame as possible. Keep in long enough to crisp.
• Serve with a generous helping of sauce.

Ben's Chocolate Chip Cookies - definitive recipe!

*Chocolate chip cookies are one of my top five favourite foods, but the perfect recipe has eluded me. Today I was victorious!*






Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups bread flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 230g unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup caster sugar
• 1 1/4 cups brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 egg yolk
• 2 tbs milk
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups Cadbury buttons or other chocolate chips

Directions:

1. In small bowl, mix flour, salt, and baking soda and set aside
   
2. Melt butter on low heat in a cast iron pan; add to large mixing bowl
3. Add caster and brown sugar to the butter, creaming on a medium-low speed
4. Slowly add egg, egg yolk, milk, and vanilla extract, mixing until well combined
5. Add dry ingredients in a little at a time to avoid spillage, and mix
6. Stir in chocolate chips by hand
7. If this consistency looks too wet, add a bit more flour (not too much)
8. Chill the dough for at least one hour
9. Scoop cookies onto baking parchment a small baking sheet (about 6 per sheet)
10. Bake at 375F/190C/Gas mark 5 for 12 minutes or until the edges are golden brown
11. Savor!!

Courtesy of Alton Brown via Pig Pig's Corner