PBLT's: Georgia Peaches, Sorghum Braised Pork Belly, Heirloom Tomatoes, Mixed Spring Greens & Herbs, + Homemade Jalapeno Aioli on Bacon Fat Fried Bread

PBLT's: Georgia Peaches, Sorghum Braised Pork Belly, Heirloom Tomatoes, Mixed Spring
Greens & Herbs, + Homemade Jalapeno Aioli on Bacon Fat Fried Bread

Okay y'all this is IT. This is MY summer sandwich. We've made three times in the last week... that's how much we have craved it. Summer essentials are bountiful between two slices of bread, you got ripe georgia peaches, juicy heirloom tomatoes, mixed spring greens, a whole bunch of fresh herbs, and a spicy jalapeno aioli. But y'all are all wanting me to get to the best part: the sorghum molasses braised pork belly. There ain't no doubt about it y'all... if you're going to make a BLT... you might as well make it a PBLT for some extra fatty, unctuous goodness. Pork belly is pretty damn good just fried until crispy, but I believe braising it before crisping it up is the way to go. I slow-cooked some house cured pork belly slab slices (extra thick here, people) in an aluminum foil pouch along with some sorghum molasses, freshly cracked pepper, and a splash of water. Tent the pork up, so it will capture the steam and cook it low 'n slow until the meaty part has begun to brown and the fatty part has render. After the braising, remove it from the oven and refrigerate the thick slices until they have chilled. You probably could go straight to the frying pan, but I think it is a necessary step because it helps the pork belly to firm up again, which in turn, helps it to stay in one piece and crisp up beautifully. Just a week or so ago, I tasted a peach, bacon, and arugula sandwich that was to die for... and that certainly inspired my dish here today. All of the components compliment each other perfectly. The heirloom tomatoes and fresh peaches lend the sandwich some acidity, yet a lot of sweetness. The mixed spring greens & herbs create the perfect balance and cut through a lot of the acidity of the fatty pork belly. Last, but not least, the homemade jalapeno aioli gives the sandwich a much-needed-kick-in-the-ass to tie it all together. And like all sandwiches that we make around this joint... you gotta serve it on some crunchy bacon fat fried bread (but duh). We have officially dubbed this "the summer sandwich", so y'all better jump on it as well before all of the peaches and heirloom tomatoes are gone for a year!! Enjoy :)

About to braise the pork belly in some sorghum molasses (cut your pork extra thick)

After it has chilled, fry it up until crispy + extra fatty

you can never go wrong with heirloom tomatoes.

layering time.

we added peaches + pickled shallots (the shallot are optional)

mixed spring greens + fresh herbs are an absolute must.

this screams summer, don't it??

layers of aioli, tomato, pork belly, greens, & peaches 

pork belly porno shot

I. Just. Want. To. Devour. It. 

perfectly layered sandwich goodness

BACON FAT FRIED BREAD. Do it.

Ain't it purdy all sliced up n' shit?

For the Homemade Jalapeno Aioli:

1 Egg Yolk

1t White Vinegar

1 ½t Freshly Squeezed Lime Juice

¼t Dijon Mustard & Sugar

2 Garlic Clove, Minced into a Paste (with a little bit of sea salt)

½t Salt

¾C Canola Oil

1 Small Jalapeno, Finely Chopped (if you don’t like it spicy, throw out the seeds)

1T Minced Candied Jalapenos

For the Sorghum Braised Pork Belly:

1-2lbs House Cured Pork Belly, Cut into Thick Slices (like really, really thick)

¼C Sorghum Molasses (or maple syrup can be substituted)

Freshly Cracked Pepper

A Splash of Water

For the PBLT Sandwiches:

Slices of Sourdough Bread, Fried until Crispy in Bacon Fat

Fresh Georgia Peaches, Thinly Sliced

Heirloom Tomatoes, Sliced (also lightly seasoned with salt & pepper)

1C Mixed Spring Greens + ½C Fresh Mixed Herbs (we used basil, thyme, tarragon, & thyme)

Prepared Homemade Jalapeno Aioli

Prepared Sorghum Braised Pork Belly, Refrigerated Overnight

Directions:

1. For the Homemade Jalapeno Aioli: Combine egg yolk, lime juice, vinegar, mustard, minced garlic, chopped jalapenos, minced candied jalapenos, and ½t salt in medium bowl. Whisk until blended and bright yellow, about 30 seconds. Using ¼t measuring spoon and whisking constantly, add ¼C of the oil to yolk mixture, a few drops at a time, about 4-5 minutes. Gradually add remaining ½C canola oil in very slow thin stream, whisking constantly, until mayonnaise is thick, about 8-10 minutes (mayonnaise will be lighter in color). Season the mayo with salt, pepper, and sugar to taste. Cover and refrigerate until you are ready to use. 

2. For the Sorghum Braised Pork Belly: Cut your cured pork belly slab into extremely thick slices (ours were roughly about an inch, maybe bigger). Place them into a plastic bag and add in the sorghum molasses, cracked black pepper, and a splash of water. Toss the pork belly slices in the mixture until they are completely coated and marinate them overnight. The next day, preheat the oven to 200 degrees. Create an aluminum foil pouch (use about 2-3 pieces of foil) and place the slices of marinated pork belly into the pouch and close tightly, so that the pork belly will steam and slowly cook through. Cook the pork for 3-4 hours until the meat portion has begun to brown and the fat has rendered slightly. After braising, remove from the oven and place into a plastic container and refrigerate overnight (I felt that these crisped up better in the pan when they are cold). Once they are chilled, heat a frying pan over medium heat with a little bit of oil. Cook the slices of braised pork slowly until they have browned & crisped on both sides, yet are still fatty. Drain on a paper towel while you assemble the sandwich.

3. Assembling the Sandwich: In a mixing bowl, toss together the mixed spring greens and mixed herbs. We tossed ours with a little lemon juice and olive oil for extra flavor. Fry the slices of sourdough bread in the remaining oil/pork belly fat until golden brown and toasty. After they have toasted, slather both sides of the bread with some homemade jalapeno aioli, and then begin stacking with some slices of heirloom tomatoes, peach slices, crispy pork belly, and mixed greens & herbs. Slice in half and enjoy immediately.

go on and dig in y'all. 

PBLT's: Georgia Peaches, Sorghum Braised Pork Belly, Heirloom Tomatoes, Mixed Spring Greens & Herbs, + Homemade Jalapeno Aioli on Bacon Fat Fried Bread

PBLT's: Georgia Peaches, Sorghum Braised Pork Belly, Heirloom Tomatoes, Mixed Spring
Greens & Herbs, + Homemade Jalapeno Aioli on Bacon Fat Fried Bread

Okay y'all this is IT. This is MY summer sandwich. We've made three times in the last week... that's how much we have craved it. Summer essentials are bountiful between two slices of bread, you got ripe georgia peaches, juicy heirloom tomatoes, mixed spring greens, a whole bunch of fresh herbs, and a spicy jalapeno aioli. But y'all are all wanting me to get to the best part: the sorghum molasses braised pork belly. There ain't no doubt about it y'all... if you're going to make a BLT... you might as well make it a PBLT for some extra fatty, unctuous goodness. Pork belly is pretty damn good just fried until crispy, but I believe braising it before crisping it up is the way to go. I slow-cooked some house cured pork belly slab slices (extra thick here, people) in an aluminum foil pouch along with some sorghum molasses, freshly cracked pepper, and a splash of water. Tent the pork up, so it will capture the steam and cook it low 'n slow until the meaty part has begun to brown and the fatty part has render. After the braising, remove it from the oven and refrigerate the thick slices until they have chilled. You probably could go straight to the frying pan, but I think it is a necessary step because it helps the pork belly to firm up again, which in turn, helps it to stay in one piece and crisp up beautifully. Just a week or so ago, I tasted a peach, bacon, and arugula sandwich that was to die for... and that certainly inspired my dish here today. All of the components compliment each other perfectly. The heirloom tomatoes and fresh peaches lend the sandwich some acidity, yet a lot of sweetness. The mixed spring greens & herbs create the perfect balance and cut through a lot of the acidity of the fatty pork belly. Last, but not least, the homemade jalapeno aioli gives the sandwich a much-needed-kick-in-the-ass to tie it all together. And like all sandwiches that we make around this joint... you gotta serve it on some crunchy bacon fat fried bread (but duh). We have officially dubbed this "the summer sandwich", so y'all better jump on it as well before all of the peaches and heirloom tomatoes are gone for a year!! Enjoy :)

About to braise the pork belly in some sorghum molasses (cut your pork extra thick)

After it has chilled, fry it up until crispy + extra fatty

you can never go wrong with heirloom tomatoes.

layering time.

we added peaches + pickled shallots (the shallot are optional)

mixed spring greens + fresh herbs are an absolute must.

this screams summer, don't it??

layers of aioli, tomato, pork belly, greens, & peaches 

pork belly porno shot

I. Just. Want. To. Devour. It. 

perfectly layered sandwich goodness

BACON FAT FRIED BREAD. Do it.

Ain't it purdy all sliced up n' shit?

For the Homemade Jalapeno Aioli:

1 Egg Yolk

1t White Vinegar

1 ½t Freshly Squeezed Lime Juice

¼t Dijon Mustard & Sugar

2 Garlic Clove, Minced into a Paste (with a little bit of sea salt)

½t Salt

¾C Canola Oil

1 Small Jalapeno, Finely Chopped (if you don’t like it spicy, throw out the seeds)

1T Minced Candied Jalapenos

For the Sorghum Braised Pork Belly:

1-2lbs House Cured Pork Belly, Cut into Thick Slices (like really, really thick)

¼C Sorghum Molasses (or maple syrup can be substituted)

Freshly Cracked Pepper

A Splash of Water

For the PBLT Sandwiches:

Slices of Sourdough Bread, Fried until Crispy in Bacon Fat

Fresh Georgia Peaches, Thinly Sliced

Heirloom Tomatoes, Sliced (also lightly seasoned with salt & pepper)

1C Mixed Spring Greens + ½C Fresh Mixed Herbs (we used basil, thyme, tarragon, & thyme)

Prepared Homemade Jalapeno Aioli

Prepared Sorghum Braised Pork Belly, Refrigerated Overnight

Directions:

1. For the Homemade Jalapeno Aioli: Combine egg yolk, lime juice, vinegar, mustard, minced garlic, chopped jalapenos, minced candied jalapenos, and ½t salt in medium bowl. Whisk until blended and bright yellow, about 30 seconds. Using ¼t measuring spoon and whisking constantly, add ¼C of the oil to yolk mixture, a few drops at a time, about 4-5 minutes. Gradually add remaining ½C canola oil in very slow thin stream, whisking constantly, until mayonnaise is thick, about 8-10 minutes (mayonnaise will be lighter in color). Season the mayo with salt, pepper, and sugar to taste. Cover and refrigerate until you are ready to use. 

2. For the Sorghum Braised Pork Belly: Cut your cured pork belly slab into extremely thick slices (ours were roughly about an inch, maybe bigger). Place them into a plastic bag and add in the sorghum molasses, cracked black pepper, and a splash of water. Toss the pork belly slices in the mixture until they are completely coated and marinate them overnight. The next day, preheat the oven to 200 degrees. Create an aluminum foil pouch (use about 2-3 pieces of foil) and place the slices of marinated pork belly into the pouch and close tightly, so that the pork belly will steam and slowly cook through. Cook the pork for 3-4 hours until the meat portion has begun to brown and the fat has rendered slightly. After braising, remove from the oven and place into a plastic container and refrigerate overnight (I felt that these crisped up better in the pan when they are cold). Once they are chilled, heat a frying pan over medium heat with a little bit of oil. Cook the slices of braised pork slowly until they have browned & crisped on both sides, yet are still fatty. Drain on a paper towel while you assemble the sandwich.

3. Assembling the Sandwich: In a mixing bowl, toss together the mixed spring greens and mixed herbs. We tossed ours with a little lemon juice and olive oil for extra flavor. Fry the slices of sourdough bread in the remaining oil/pork belly fat until golden brown and toasty. After they have toasted, slather both sides of the bread with some homemade jalapeno aioli, and then begin stacking with some slices of heirloom tomatoes, peach slices, crispy pork belly, and mixed greens & herbs. Slice in half and enjoy immediately.

go on and dig in y'all. 

Restaurant Review : JCT Kitchen in the Westside District of Atlanta, Georgia

So, I've decided to start a new feature on my blog...

RESTAURANT REVIEWS.

Yep, you probably all knew deep down that I'd eventually get there. 

As self proclaimed "foodies", we eat out quite a bit (when I'm not cooking myself).

And I am always snapping pictures, so why not share them with y'all?!?

Ya know, just in case you ever come to Atlanta or Savannah or anywhere I decide to feature.

Today, we're starting with my personal + absolute favorite, JCT Kitchen. 

This restaurant is our Saturday lunch go-to... and more importantly, my Mountain Man + I have officially booked our wedding date, which will be hosted at JCT! Yep, that's how deep our love runs. We are so excited to work with the restaurant team and have already gone as far to request a custom menu featuring our favorite dishes as entree options. So far, they have been fabulous and I can't wait to see how it comes together over the next year! Anyhoo... back to their food. They are a "farm-to-table-esque" restaurant with a modern southern menu. I know I know, their menu is everything that I strive to be as a food blogger, and they give me so much inspiration!! Here are some pictures of their decor...

They are very country-chic... I love it. 

Chopped wood for their wood-fired grill.

What I also love about JCT Kitchen is that they have seasonal menus. This is super important to me because it guarantees that what you are ordering is the freshest possible and is in-season. However, there are a few favorite standard dishes that remain on the menu all year long and those include the following: their famous lobster roll, "angry" mussels, their sell-out-super-quickly fried chicken, and a few others. But first, I'm going to begin with drinks and starters...

This is their cocktail, "Americana in Paris", which features raspberry ratafia,
cocchi rosa, blackberries, & lemon... very delicious. I also recommend the "Cross Road Blues",
it's amazing and features honeysuckle vodka, peaches, lemon, and lillet blanc. 

Here are the JCT Fried Chicken Skins with House Hot Sauce and Apple-Bacon Hushpuppies
with Maple-Bourbon Gastrique. The chicken skins are to-die-for.  

Fried Chicken Skins... I recreated this dish on my blog in June... make them now!

Here are those crazy apple hushpuppies... they were perfectly glazed without being soggy.

"Pimento Cheese Fry Bread"... this is so utterly decadent. Imagine brioche bread, cut into slices,
dipped into a batter, deep fried, sprinkled with Fleur de Sel, and served with a big pile of pimento
cheese and pickled veggies. 

Summer Appetizer Special: Fried Green Tomatoes with house-made ricotta cheese, candied bacon,
fresh basil, some dill, and lemon. Unequivocally divine, I wish these were on the menu all year. 

Their deviled eggs are also absolutely delicious, but I didn't get to snap a picture of those. But they are much-talked about because of their creamy filling and topping of shaved country ham. Some other great choices are their tomato soup with deep fried grafton cheddar, truffle parmesan fries, & angry mussels.

Angry Mussels Part One

Angry Mussels Part Two

Always, always, always get the "Angry Mussels" y'all. They have huge chunks of house bacon, sliced serranos, onion, garlic, and the best dippin' bread ever. And make a man out of yourself and go the "moules frites" direction with a order of their Parmesan-Truffle Fries. 'Cuz ya just hav'ta. Now let's move onto the entrees...

JCT's Famous Fried Chicken with Mac n' Cheese & Green Beans

Fried Chicken Sandwich on Brioche Roll with house made pickles,
creamy coleslaw, and jalapeno mayo.

A shot of the Truffle-Parmesan Fries with my Fried Chicken Sandwich

Fried Oyster Po'boy wit hot sauce-bacon mayo, chopped lettuce, and spicy pickles

The All-Too-Famous Lobster Roll (only served on Friday's & Saturday's) with griddled
soft roll, sweet & sour apple slaw, and parmesan-truffle fries.

Fried Chicken + Brussels Sprouts

And lastly we have dessert... we have tried everything. My favorites have to be the chocolate cream pie with salted caramel and toasted meringue and the rum sopped coconut cake. But recently we tried a few new additions...

Fried Blueberry Hand Pies with Malted Vanilla Milkshake

You gotta dip the hand pies into the milkshake, y'all. 

And last, but not least, their birthday cake milkshake. Yum Yum Yum. 

Overall, JCT Kitchen is great for lunch + dinner (we prefer their whimsical lunch menu just a tad bit more), but if you're into the night scene, they have a wonderful roof-top bar with bar bites and signature cocktails. Oh hey, and don't forget the live music either :) I just can't give them enough high praises and look forward to our amazing wedding dinner at their restaurant!! I hope y'all can make it out there soon.

Our Rating Scale:

**** (4 out of 4 stars)

$$     (dishes range from $5 to $20 depending on the ingredients)

Would I go back again: Hell Yes... every week

Service: 5 (rated on a scale of 1-5)

I hope y'all enjoyed the very first installment of Restaurant Reviews :)

XOXO, Juliana