Danish Fried Pork Belly (Stegt flæsk med persillesovs) — Crisp Pork with Parsley Sauce

• 800 gsliced pork belly (skin removed, cut into 5-7 mm thick slices)
• 8 gfine sea salt
• 1 kglarge waxy potatoes (peeled or well scrubbed)
• 2 lwater
• 40 gunsalted butter
• 40 gall-purpose flour
• 630 mlwhole milk (600 ml for the sauce plus 30 ml reserved for loosening if needed)
• 100 mlreserved potato cooking water
• 1 bunchflat-leaf parsley (about 40 g leaves and tender stems, finely chopped)
• 0.5 tspground white pepper
• 0.12 tspfreshly grated nutmeg

Instructions

1. 1

   Heat the oven to 220°C and place a wire rack over a rimmed baking sheet lined with foil. Pat the pork belly slices completely dry, rub them evenly with 8 g fine sea salt, and let them stand for 10 minutes while the oven heats.

2. 2

   Put the potatoes in a large pot with 2 l water and 8 g fine sea salt. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 18 to 22 minutes until a knife slides into the center of the largest potato without resistance.

3. 3

   Reserve 100 ml of the potato cooking water before draining the potatoes. Return the potatoes to the warm pot for 2 minutes with the lid slightly ajar so excess steam escapes and the potatoes stay firm rather than watery.

4. 4

   Arrange the salted pork belly slices on the rack in a single layer with at least 1 cm between slices. Roast for 20 minutes, turn each slice with tongs, and roast for another 15 to 20 minutes until the pork is deeply golden, crisp at the edges, and much of the fat has rendered into the tray.

5. 5

   While the pork finishes, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat and whisk in the flour. Cook the roux for 2 minutes, whisking constantly, so it loses its raw flour aroma but remains pale rather than browned.

6. 6

   Whisk in 600 ml whole milk gradually, adding it in 4 additions to keep the sauce smooth. Add the reserved 100 ml potato cooking water, then simmer for 6 to 8 minutes, whisking often, until the sauce coats the back of a spoon.

7. 7

   Stir in the chopped parsley, 4 g salt, white pepper, and nutmeg, then simmer for 1 minute to brighten the parsley aroma without dulling its color. If the sauce becomes thicker than a pourable cream sauce, whisk in the reserved 30 ml milk and warm it for 30 seconds.

8. 8

   Transfer the crisp pork to a warm plate lined with kitchen paper for 1 minute, then serve immediately with the potatoes. Spoon the persillesovs generously over the potatoes, leaving the stegt flæsk uncovered so it remains crisp.