Recipe of the Day: Pork Trotter and Ear Aspic: Hot or Jellied

Ingredients:

pork trotters - 4 pcs.; pork ears - 2 pcs.; water - about 2.5 - 3 l; garlic - 5 - 6 cloves; butter - 20 g; paprika - 1 tsp.; savory - 1 tsp.; black pepper - 1/2 tsp.; salt - about 1 1/2 tsp. or to taste; parsley - 1/2 bunch; hot pepper - 1 pc., optional.

For serving, optional:

vinegar - to taste garlic - to taste

Method:

Before boiling, inspect the ingredients, singe off any remaining hairs if necessary, and wash them. The trotters can be split lengthwise so that they cook more evenly and release gelatin more easily.

In a regular pot, bring the water to a boil and remove the foam. Then simmer the trotters and ears over low heat for about 2.5-3 hours, until the meat and skin become tender and begin to separate from the bones. When cooking under pressure, the suggested time is about 60-70 minutes after pressure is reached.

Garlic, Butter and Paprika

Toward the end of cooking, add the salt, black pepper and savory. Remove the cooked ingredients and strain the broth through a fine sieve. Carefully separate the meat, skin and soft parts from the bones, checking especially the trotters for small bones.

Finely chop the ears and deboned meat and return them to the broth together with the crushed garlic. Melt the butter over low heat, add the paprika and stir for 10-15 seconds. Add the mixture to the aspic and simmer for about five more minutes. Briefly heating the paprika is important, as prolonged frying can make it bitter.

Two Ways to Serve

Serve the hot aspic immediately with chopped parsley and, if desired, hot pepper. For the cold version, distribute the meat and broth into bowls or a mold and leave them to cool slightly first. Then refrigerate for at least 6-8 hours, preferably overnight.

The natural gelatin released from the pork trotters, ears and skin sets the broth without the need for any additional gelling product. The next day, cut the aspic into portions and serve with parsley, hot pepper or garlic with vinegar. The total preparation time is about 225 minutes, and the stated nutritional value is approximately 295 kilocalories per serving.

Source: recepti.gotvach.bg