. Well, hello 2016! Whatever the days or weeks ahead have in store for me, I’m ready! Mr. S and I spent Christmas in Calgary. Over the holiday period I cooked in other peoples homes; one being my daughter’s (a first for me!), one at my cousin’s (in Edmonton) and the other at my daughter’s employers home. I loved it and what I enjoyed most was how appreciative each was that I was in their kitchen cooking for them. The pork belly bites was part of a few appetizers I prepared for my cousin Pete and his lovely wife, Tracey. It was a bit of a homecoming for me as I haven’t seen Pete since 1985 (the same for Heather, his sister) and my aunt Barb, Pete’s mom, since 1992. There were 11 of us. Although I think the food I placed on the table was well received, the pork belly bites stole the show.

Pork belly, in case you’re wondering, is where bacon comes from. Bacon and pancetta is the cured result. When making this dish, try to get slices of pork belly that’s at least 1/2-inch thick. If you cannot find pork belly in the meat section, ask the butcher. I first had this snack at Tide and Boar. It was served in a chipotle maple glaze…devine! I’ve made this several times since June but never took the time to write about it. And the beauty of this recipe is that it’s a forgiving dish – you really can’t mess it up!

Serves 2

1/2 pound pork belly slices, cut into chunks

pinch or two of chili pepper flakes

2 cloves garlic, chopped

honey

soy sauce

In a non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat, cook pork slices. Drain fat. Add garlic, pinch or two of chili pepper flakes and mix until garlic is slightly fragrant (do not overcook the garlic). Add a splash of soy sauce to give the meat a bit of color then drizzle honey over the meat. Stir to combine. Add more soy sauce and honey as needed to create a sticky glaze. The honey and soy sauce will gel together nicely resulting in caramelized pork.

The Culinary Chase’s Note: Chili pepper flakes help balance the sweetness from the honey-soy sauce combo. It’s not necessary but will have your taste buds dancing with delight if you do add. Enjoy!

