First, I called the meat manager at a market and ordered 5 pounds. I also left a message at Grateful Growers Farm in Denver, wondering if the farm had any pork belly from its old-breed, pasture-raised pigs. The next thing I knew, I had 16 pounds of pork belly.
I cut it all down into 3-pound sections and got to work. To re-create Bonaparte's seared pork belly, I rubbed one section with a mixture of salt, sugar, pepper, ginger, garlic and herbs and refrigerated it for three days. Then I braised it for four hours and chilled it under a weight.
While I waited for that, I turned to Emeril Lagasse, the pork-fat king. His recipe for slow-cooked pork belly with a tangerine glaze became my Fat Tuesday dinner.
Leftovers got fried for breakfast.
After I finished all my experiments, I did something bold. I made my own version of Bonaparte's dish, this time served on cheddar-mustard crackers with strawberry jam. Then I packed it up and drove over to the school, to feed the chef his own dish.
We sat in the dining room, sampling his version and mine.
My version? He admitted it was even better.
Cheddar-Mustard Crackers
Makes about 4 dozen
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened
1 pound sharp cheddar, coarsely grated (preferably in a food processor; 5 cups)
1 large egg yolk
1/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons dry mustard
2 tablespoons brown or yellow mustard seeds
2 teaspoons salt
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for surface
Blend butter, cheese and egg yolk in a food processor until smooth. Add mustards, salt and flour and pulse just until combined. Transfer the soft dough to a bowl. Cover and chill 15 minutes.
Halve the dough and shape each half into a log on a lightly floured surface. Wrap in wax paper and foil and chill until firm, at least 4 hours. (Dough can be frozen for several months. Defrost in the refrigerator before slicing.)
Place oven racks in upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper (or nonstick baking mat, such as Silpat). Unwrap logs and cut into slices with a sharp knife. Place slices on baking sheet about 1 inch apart.
Bake until lightly brown around edges, switching position of pans halfway through baking, 12 to 15 minutes. Cool on a rack. Cool crackers and store in an airtight container.
