

In an outstanding feat of restaurant leftovers I created a delicious brunch this past Sunday. Anyone in Portland could tell you how cold it was this day, and a how a lavish, greasy breakfast was in order. At the restaurant we serve pork belly, naturally. It’s one of Chef’s greatest dishes. The precise bacon wrapped portions create a bit of side product, which we sometimes use for sliders or staff meal. Sometimes I take home a little package for the freezer; a lazy Sunday. I rendered off about 4 ounces of meat. Combined with a bit of fat I had reserved from another project, I had about 3 ounces. Emulisfing it into one egg yolk, It was just enough for one portion of silky sauce. Snow drifted down outside, and the smell of fat filled the house, warming us. I toasted the leftover brioche and poached the eggs. Spinning the water and dropping the eggs, they simmered lightly just below the boiling point. I usually use vinegar in this situation but not using any had a pleasant result. Unseemly as they cooked, most of the whites dispersed into the water. I ended up with perfectly cooked yolks however, and it’s all about the yolks right? I loose chopped the pork belly and warmed it in a pan with butter. Everything came together on a warmed plate and smoked black sea salt. A most satisfying of meals, I felt it filled me up nicely. I wasn’t even hungry until I saw the pulled pork that night at Jaybill’s. 