Bones_ Recipes, History, and Lore - Jennifer McLagan [39]
1 bay leaf
3 large thyme sprigs
6 allspice berries, crushed
¼ teaspoon black peppercorns
1 small smoked ham hock, about 1½ pounds (675 g)
12 ounces (350 g) black-eyed peas, rinsed, soaked overnight in cold water, and drained
16 cups (41) loosely packed kale leaves, shredded (1 bunch; 1 pound 10 oz [750 g])
2 tomatoes, diced
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1½ teaspoons kosher salt
1. Preheat the oven to 350T (175°C). In a Dutch oven or flameproof casserole, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes, or until it starts to soften. Add the celery and garlic and cook for 3 minutes. Stir in the chile pepper, bay leaf, thyme, allspice berries, and peppercorns.
2. Add the hock, then pour in 8 cups (21) water, bring to a boil, and skim off the foam. Cover the hock with a damp piece of parchment paper, then transfer to the oven and cook (without a lid) for 1 hour.
3. Add the peas and continue to cook, still covered only with the parchment paper, for 1½ hours, or until the peas are soft and the meat is tender. Using a slotted spoon or skimmer, transfer the hock and peas to a warm platter (discard the bay leaf and thyme stems) and keep warm, loosely covered with aluminum foil.
4. Bring the cooking liquid to a boil and boil to reduce slightly. Add the shredded kale and tomatoes and cook until the kale wilts. Add the vinegar and salt. Meanwhile, cut the meat off the hock in chunks.
5. Stir the meat and peas into the kale mixture, and check the seasoning. Serve in shallow soup bowls.
Pig’s Feet
Pig’s feet are cheap and delicious. I have to admit, though, that pig’s feet are really my husband’s dish. He eats them every time we are in Paris. I find them very rich and gelatinous. But this recipe, which began as an attempt to make the classic French dish of cooked, crumbed whole pig’s feet for him, developed into a delicious variation that I really enjoy. It is less intimidating than the original and a great dish for those who are prepared to use their fingers to pick around the many small bones to find the meat. Various arguments and prejudices are aired about whether you should use front or back feet. The only difference I can really attest to is size, the back ones being bigger. Some proponents believe that there is more to eat on them, but others argue that the proportion of meat to bones is higher on the front feet. I prefer the front feet just because they aren’t so big. They won’t overwhelm novice feet eaters.
Wrapping the feet before cooking may seem a lot of work but it helps them keep their shape as they cook, and that makes them easier to coat with the bread crumbs.
4 pig’s feet, split and cleaned
Spiced Salt (page 84)
Court Bouillon (page 60)
1 egg white
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1¼ cups (100 g) dry bread crumbs
4 cups (11) mixed bitter lettuces, such as curly endive, radicchio, Belgian endive, and arugula
Orange Mustard Dressing (recipe follows)
1. A day or two before you are going to cook the pig’s feet, coat them in the spiced salt. Cover and refrigerate, turning them once or twice.
2. Preheat the oven to 275°F (135°C). Rinse the pig’s feet under cold running water. Tie each of the two halves together by wrapping long strips of cheesecloth or cotton sheet around them.
3. Place the feet in a large deep Dutch oven or flameproof casserole and pour over the court bouillon. If there is not enough liquid to cover the feet, add up to 2 cups (500 ml) water. Place a piece of damp parchment paper over the top, then cover with the lid, transfer to the oven, and cook for 3 hours. At 1½ hours, check to make sure that the feet are still submerged; if not, add a little more water. After 3 hours, test the feet by inserting a skewer through the cloth into the meat. The feet are cooked when the skewer slides easily through and they feel very soft and tender. Remove them from the oven, uncover, and allow them to cool slightly in the cooking liquid. (If you leave the feet in the cooking liquid until they are completely cool, they