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They’re composed of skin and soft cartilage, which needs to be broken down, either by braising or by confiting. And this is one of the things I love about them—the long process. This is not weeknight cooking, but good things come to those who wait. To confit them, we season them first with salt and spices, and then cook them slowly in rendered fat until they’re so soft you can pinch your fingers through them. They’re then cooled and when we’re ready to serve them, we cut them into chip-sized pieces and fry them, so they’re crispy on the outside, chewy and unctuous inside. All that fat needs some nice acidity for balance, so I serve them with a salad of shaved pickled vegetables. They’re also great, sliced, wherever bacon would be a traditional garnish, such as on a frisée salad or spinach salad. Or they might be used as a textural contrast to a braised pork dish. It’s hard to go wrong with these things.

Specialty butchers should be able to order them for you, or maybe even your local grocery store can do it. Another source of pig’s ears may be at farmers’ markets; if there’s a vendor or farmer selling pork, ask if you can order ears. They should be clean and smooth, free of any bristles.

Duck fat can be bought at specialty markets or by mail from dartagnan.com, but other fats can be used as well. If lard is available, that’s the next best choice, but vegetable shortening will work also, and so will olive oil. If you intend to keep them in the fat for longer periods, it’s best to use a fat that is solid at room temperature.

Serves 12

12 pig’s ears

3 tablespoons kosher salt

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

4 teaspoons coriander seeds, toasted and ground (see Symon Says; 1 tablespoon)

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 shallot, minced

Grated zest of 1 orange

4 cups duck fat

Canola oil, for deep-frying

¾ cup pickled vegetables

Whole-grain mustard

In a nonreactive container, toss the pig’s ears with the salt, cinnamon, toasted and ground coriander, garlic, shallot, and orange zest. Cover and refrigerate for 48 hours.

Preheat the oven to 225°F.

Remove the ears from the container, rinse under cold water, and pat them dry. Combine the ears and duck fat in a 6-quart Dutch oven and cover with a lid or foil. Place in the oven and cook, undisturbed, for 14 hours. Remove from the oven and let the ears cool submerged in the fat. Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve, or up to 1 month.

Pour enough oil into a medium pot so that the oil comes 3 inches up the sides. Heat the oil to 375°F.

Remove the ears from the fat and cut them into quarters. Fry until crisp, about 4 minutes. Serve accompanied by pickled vegetables and whole-grain mustard.

Moisture can get trapped within the skin and it is sometimes released with a pop, so it’s a good idea to cover the pot with a splatter guard while frying these.

CORN CRÊPES WITH BARBECUE DUCK CONFIT

A simple crêpe batter loaded with fresh summer corn and bright sweet bell pepper is a delicious vehicle for all kinds of ingredients. We had these on the menu at Lola for so long that every time I think of them, I think of my longtime chef, Frank Rogers. He made them by the dozen, every day, between three and five p.m. It was like having a sundial in the restaurant: when you saw Frank making the corn crêpes, you knew what time it was.

As with many dishes, this one is based on one I learned in my early years with Mark Shary. Then, at Players, we would fill them with chorizo and top them off with sour cream, an excellent dish. Here I opt for the glory of duck confit, seasoned with some coffee barbecue sauce. Confit keeps for weeks well covered and stored in the fridge, and these crêpes freeze beautifully (separate them with layers of parchment, and wrap in plastic), so this is a dish that can be prepared days or weeks in advance of a special occasion or simply to have around for a last-minute appetizer or light meal.

I like to let this batter rest for a couple of hours to allow the flour to bloom, or hydrate. These are a