Indulgent Hoisin Pork Belly Buns

Preheat the oven to 220C, fan-forced. Line 2 oven trays with baking paper. Pat the pork belly dry with paper towel (see Cooking tip). Rub with 2 tsp olive oil and season generously with salt. Put the pork, skin-side up, on a lined tray and roast on the upper oven shelf for 40 mins or until the skin starts to blister.

Cut the unpeeled potato into wedges. Put on the remaining lined tray, drizzle with 1 tbs olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to 180C and add the potato to the lower shelf. Roast the pork and potato for 25 mins or until the pork is cooked through. Remove pork from the oven and rest for 10 mins. Roast the potato for a further 10 mins or until tender.

Meanwhile, halve the cucumber crosswise, then thinly slice. Combine 2 tsp white vinegar and ½ tsp sugar in a large bowl. Add the cucumber and toss to combine. Set aside to pickle, tossing occasionally, for 10 mins. Cut the bread rolls in half. Put on an oven tray, cut-side up, and bake for 5-7 mins until lightly toasted.

While the rolls are toasting, thinly slice the cabbage with a sharp knife or mandoline. Shred the carrot using a julienne peeler or coarsely grate with a box grater (see Kitchen 101). Drain the cucumber, reserving the pickling liquid. Combine the cabbage, carrot, reserved pickling liquid and 2 tsp olive oil in a bowl.

Thickly slice the pork. Spread the roll bases with the mayonnaise and spread the tops with the hoisin sauce. Layer the bases with the slaw, pork and pickled cucumber, then sandwich with the tops. Serve with the wedges and enjoy!

Do you own a julienne peeler? We love using it in our recipes, as it makes short work of veggie prep. It looks similar to a veggie peeler but with serrated teeth. You simply drag the peeler along the vegetable – and voila! – you have a pretty pile of professional-looking julienne strips.