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1
Three days before serving, trim the pork of excess fat and sinew, and place it in the brine.
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2
It should be completely submerged.
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3
Refrigerate the pork in the brine for 48 hours.
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4
After 48 hours, remove the pork from the brine.
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5
Pat it dry with paper towels, and let it sit out 1 hour to come to room temperature.
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6
Preheat the oven to 300F.
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7
Heat the duck fat in a large Dutch oven over low heat until just warm and melted.
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Carefully lower the pork into the fat.
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9
It should be completely submerged.
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10
Cook 5 to 6 hours, until the meat yields easily to a paring knife when pierced.
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11
If at any time the fat starts to boil, turn the oven down to 250F.
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12
When the pork is done, remove it from the oven and let cool in the fat about 1 hour.
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13
Carefully take the pork out of the fat, and refrigerate it overnight.
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14
Strain the fat, reserve 4 tablespoons, and store the rest in the freezer.
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15
Light the grill 30 to 40 minutes before youre ready to cook.
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16
Preheat the oven to 400F.
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17
Slice the figs in half lengthwise.
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18
Place the halves in a roasting pan, and drizzle them with the olive oil.
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Season with the thyme, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and a pinch of pepper.
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20
Roast in the oven 10 to 12 minutes, until the figs are slightly caramelized and sizzling.
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21
Place the chilled pork confit on a cutting board, and slice it against the grain into 1/2-to-3/4-inch-thick slabs (about 5 to 6 ounces each).
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22
Brush the slabs with a little pork fat.
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23
Taste a little piece of the pork to make sure its seasoned correctly.
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24
If not, season with salt and pepper.
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25
When the coals are broken down, red, and glowing, place the pork on the grill and let it sear a few minutes without moving it.
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26
Cook a few more minutes, rotating the meat, to crisp and caramelize it.
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27
Turn the pork over and finish cooking, another 4 to 5 minutes, on the second side.
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28
The meat should be very crisp with a deep golden crust.
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29
Spoon the soubise onto a large warm platter, and scatter the dandelion greens over it.
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30
Arrange the pork confit and figs (with their juices) over the soubise and greens.
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31
Crush the juniper berries coarsely in a mortar.
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32
Repeat with the allspice and then the fennel seeds.
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33
Dissolve the sugar and salt in 2 cups hot water (just hot enough to dissolve the sugar) in a large, very clean container.
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34
Add the juniper berries, allspice berries, fennel seeds, cloves, bay leaves, chiles, onion, fennel, carrot, thyme, and parsley.
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35
Add 3 quarts very cold water, and stir to combine all the ingredients.
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36
Preheat the oven to 350F.
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37
Heat a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat for 1 minute.
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38
Add the butter, and when it foams, add the diced and sliced onions, thyme, 2 teaspoons salt, and the white pepper.
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39
Turn the heat down to medium-low, and cook the onions gently, for about 10 minutes, stirring often.
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40
They should soften and wilt but not be allowed to color at all.
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41
While the onions are cooking, bring a small pot of water to a boil.
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42
Cook the rice 5 minutes in the boiling water and drain well.
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43
Stir the rice into the onions.
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Remove the pot from the heat.
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45
Cover it with aluminum foil and a tight-fitting lid if you have one.
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46
Cook in the oven 30 minutes.
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47
Remove from the oven and let the soubise rest, covered, about 30 minutes.
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48
Just before serving, uncover the soubise (it will emit lots of steam, so be careful).
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49
Heat it over medium heat, stirring once or twice.
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50
When the soubise is hot, stir in the cheese and cream.
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51
Taste for seasoning, and stir in the parsley.
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52
Brine the pork 3 days before serving.
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53
After 2 days, when the pork comes out of the brine (the day before serving), confit it, and chill overnight.
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54
The meat should be very cold, or it will be hard to slice.
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55
Start the braised rice soubise 1 hour and 15 minutes or so before serving.
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56
It can sit covered and then be rewarmed and finished with the cheese and cream right before serving.
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57
Roast the figs while you grill the confit.
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58
You could crisp the pork in cast-iron pans rather than grilling it, if you prefer.
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59
Heat two large cast-iron pans over high heat 2 minutes.
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60
Add 2 tablespoons fat to each pan, and heat another minute.
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Carefully place the meat in the pan, and cook 4 to 5 minutes on each side, until nicely browned.
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62
You can store the leftover fat in the freezer.
