Porchetta with Broccoli Rabe Salsa Verde, Chicories & Giardiniera by Chef Chris Cosentino

Name: Porchetta with Broccoli Rabe Salsa Verde, Chicories & Giardiniera
Yield: 6-8
Ingredients: 1 pork belly, skin on (about 7½ lb / 3.4 kg); Pork brine (recipe below); 18 g kosher salt; 20 g black peppercorns, toasted and ground; 17 g fennel seeds, toasted and ground; 34 g Aleppo pepper; Zest of 1 orange; 15 g rosemary, finely chopped; 10 g oregano, finely chopped; 10 g fennel fronds, finely chopped; 60 g garlic, crushed to a paste; 100 g white wine; 50 g extra‑virgin olive oil; 448 g broccoli rabe, blanched; 224 g extra‑virgin olive oil; 8 g chili flakes; 8 g Aleppo pepper; 10 g kosher salt; 5 g black pepper, ground; Zest of 1 lemon; 2 heads chicory (Castelfranco, Chioggia, or similar); Extra‑virgin olive oil; Kosher salt; Vegetables; (About 3–3½ lb total) - 2 cups pearl onions, quartered - 3 celery ribs, sliced into ½‑inch pieces - 1 medium cauliflower, small florets - 3–4 carrots, small dice; 4 cups apple cider vinegar; 4 cups champagne vinegar; 6 Tbsp kosher salt (≈85 g); 1½ cups sugar (≈300 g); 1–2 dried Calabrian chiles, torn

Porchetta with Broccoli Rabe Salsa Verde, Chicories & Giardiniera

Chef Chris Cosentino

Rated 5.0 stars by 1 users

Servings

6-8

Chef Chris Cosentino’s porchetta is a holiday-worthy centerpiece: pork belly rolled tight with garlic, fennel, rosemary, and orange, slow-roasted until tender, then finished hot for shatter-crisp skin. Rich and deeply savory, it’s balanced with a bitter, citrus-bright broccoli rabe salsa verde, raw chicories for crunch, and a sharp house giardiniera that cuts through the fat. Serve family-style or carved thick at the table—an old-world roast sharpened for winter entertaining.

Ingredients

1 pork belly, skin on (about 7½ lb / 3.4 kg)
Pork brine (recipe below)
18 g kosher salt
20 g black peppercorns, toasted and ground
17 g fennel seeds, toasted and ground
34 g Aleppo pepper
Zest of 1 orange
15 g rosemary, finely chopped
10 g oregano, finely chopped
10 g fennel fronds, finely chopped
60 g garlic, crushed to a paste
100 g white wine
50 g extra‑virgin olive oil

Broccoli Rabe Salsa Verde

448 g broccoli rabe, blanched
224 g extra‑virgin olive oil
8 g chili flakes
8 g Aleppo pepper
10 g kosher salt
5 g black pepper, ground
Zest of 1 lemon

Chicories

2 heads chicory (Castelfranco, Chioggia, or similar)
Extra‑virgin olive oil
Kosher salt

Giardiniera (Make Ahead)

Vegetables
(About 3–3½ lb total) - 2 cups pearl onions, quartered - 3 celery ribs, sliced into ½‑inch pieces - 1 medium cauliflower, small florets - 3–4 carrots, small dice

Pickling Liquid

4 cups apple cider vinegar
4 cups champagne vinegar
6 Tbsp kosher salt (≈85 g)
1½ cups sugar (≈300 g)
1–2 dried Calabrian chiles, torn
2 bay leaves
2 Tbsp coriander seed, toasted
2 tsp fennel seed, toasted
2 tsp black peppercorns, toasted
6–8 thyme sprigs

Pork Brine

3 gallons water
454 g kosher salt
1 lb onions, julienned
1 bunch rosemary
1 bunch thyme
1 bunch parsley
Orange peel
8 bay leaves
20 g black peppercorns
20 g fennel seeds
20 g coriander seeds
5 g Instacure #1

Directions

Score & Brine
Score the pork skin in a tight crosshatch, cutting through the skin but not deeply into the fat. Submerge in cold pork brine and refrigerate for 24 hours.
Dry
Remove from brine, rinse lightly, and pat dry. Place uncovered on a rack in the refrigerator.
Make the Paste
Grind toasted spices in a mortar and pestle. Add garlic and crush to a smooth paste, then stir in Aleppo, orange zest, herbs, white wine, and olive oil.
Roll
Lay the pork skin‑side down. Rub the paste evenly over the meat, roll tightly, and tie every 1½–2 inches. Season the exterior with salt and black pepper. Refrigerate uncovered overnight.
Roast
Heat oven to 350°F (175°C). Roast porchetta on a rack set over a pan with a little water in the bottom for 2–3 hours, until tender.
Crisp
Increase oven to 425°F (220°C) and roast 10–15 minutes, until the skin is deeply crisp.
Rest & Slice
Rest 20 minutes. Remove skin if desired and slice porchetta thickly.

Broccoli Rabe Salsa Verde

Blanch broccoli rabe in well‑salted water until just tender; shock in ice water. Squeeze dry and hand‑chop into thin rings. Mix with remaining ingredients. Refrigerate until needed and bring to room temperature before serving.

Chicories

Tear into bite‑size pieces and dress lightly with the giardineria, extra virgin olive oil salt & pepper just before serving.

Giardiniera (Make Ahead)

Tie spices and thyme in cheesecloth. Combine all pickling ingredients, bring to a gentle simmer for 5 minutes, then cool completely. Submerge vegetables and refrigerate 3–4 days before serving.

Pork Brine

Toast spices. Combine all ingredients with 1 gallon water, bring to a boil, and simmer briefly. Pour over ice to cool completely, add remaining cold water, and submerge pork belly for 24 hours.

Plating Note

Slice porchetta generously. Spoon broccoli rabe salsa alongside, scatter chicories dressed with the giardiniera for bitterness, crunch and acidity. Serve immediately.