Æbleflæsk - Apple pork

Æbleflæsk - Apple pork is a Danish delicacy that originated as a low-cost winter dish. It's made with fried or roasted pork belly and a tasty mix of sautéed apples and onions. It is often served over rye bread and comes in a variety of flavors throughout the country. It is usually connected with Christmas.

This traditional Danish meal is best made in the pan that you cooked your bacon in — simply add sliced apples and cook in the bacon oil until softened, along with a little chopped onion. Once cooked, mash it up, season it with salt and pepper, and serve with your favorite bread... usually rye. This makes a filling and delicious quick lunch!

Ingredients:
8 servings

• 4 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 lb bacon Salt & pepper
• 2 large yellow onion
• 1 tbsp chopped thyme leaves
• 2 1/2 lb sweet baking apples

Instruction:

1. In a 12-inch nonstick skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat and season the bacon with salt and pepper. Add half the bacon slices to the skillet and cook, turning once, until caramelized on both sides and tender, 8 minutes. Transfer the bacon to a plate and repeat with the remaining 4 slices of bacon.
2. Heat the oven to 400°. Drain off all but 1⁄4 cup of the rendered fat and return the skillet to medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until caramelized and soft, about 20 minutes. Stir in the thyme, remove the skillet from the heat, and scrape the onions into a 9-by-13-inch baking dish or small roasting pan.
3. Add the apples to the onions, toss to coat evenly in the fat, and bake, stirring once halfway through, until the apples are just tender and lightly caramelized for about 20 minutes. Using tongs, push the apples and onions to one side of the baking dish and nestle the bacon slices next to them. Continue baking until the apples are very tender and the bacon is warmed through, about 10 more minutes. Transfer the dish to a rack and let cool for 10 minutes before serving.