Ingredients

1. One 1-pound square piece of fresh pork belly, skin removed and top thick layer of fat scored
2. Salt and freshly ground pepper
3. 2 teaspoons sweet pimentón de la Vera (smoked Spanish paprika)
4. 1 tablespoon herbes de Provence
5. 1/2 teaspoon each of black peppercorns, yellow mustard seeds, fennel seeds and coriander seeds
6. 2 cups water
7. 1 cup Champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar
8. 1/2 cup sugar
9. 2 tablespoons kosher salt
10. 2 medium fennel bulbs (about 1 1/2 pounds)—cored, trimmed and thinly sliced on a mandoline
11. 1 pound eggplant, cut into 1/2-inch dice
12. 3 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
13. 1 medium shallot, very thinly sliced
14. 1 small red chile, very thinly sliced
15. 1 tablespoon mixed small mint and flat-leaf parsley leaves, plus 2 tablespoons each of chopped mint and parsley

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°. Place the pork belly fat side up in a shallow baking dish. Season the pork all over with salt, pepper, the smoked paprika and the herbes de Provence. Roast for 1 hour. Reduce the oven temperature to 200° and bake for 3 hours longer, rotating the dish a few times, until the pork is very tender and richly browned. Remove the pork from the oven and let stand for 15 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, toast the peppercorns, mustard seeds, fennel seeds and coriander seeds over moderately high heat until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Transfer the seeds to a spice grinder and let cool completely. Grind the seeds very coarsely.
3. Return the ground spices to the saucepan. Add the water, vinegar, sugar and salt and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Spread the fennel slices in a large, shallow, heatproof dish in an even layer. Pour the pickling liquid over the fennel and let cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
4. In a colander, toss the eggplant with 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Set a small plate on the eggplant and let stand for 1 hour to release the bitter juices. Pat the eggplant dry.
5. In a large skillet, heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil. Add the eggplant and cook over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until browned and tender, about 4 minutes. Add the shallot and chile and cook, stirring, until softened, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and stir in the mint and parsley leaves. In a small bowl, toss the chopped mint and parsley with the remaining 2 teaspoons of olive oil and season with salt.
6. Spoon the eggplant onto plates. Using a serrated knife, cut the pork belly into 1/4-inch-thick slices; set the slices next to the eggplant. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the pickled fennel to the plates. Garnish with the chopped herbs and serve.

Make Ahead

The pickled fennel can be refrigerated in its liquid for up to 1 week.