Stuffed Pig Trotters, Farro, Pickled Hot and Sweet Peppers, Pickled Ramps, Pickled Fiddlehead Ferns, and Snow Pea Shoots

Adapted by StarChefs.com
July 2014
Yield: 4 servings

INGREDIENTS:

Stuffed Trotter
½ pound pork shank
¼ pound pork belly
¼ pound cured pork jowl
½ pound pork shoulder
1½ tablespoons salt
¼ teaspoon ground star anise
1 teaspoon fennel seeds, toasted
¼ teaspoon ground coriander seed
3 teaspoons sugar
¼ teaspoon ground comapeño chile
¼ teaspoon Instacure #2
1 bone-out pork trotter
Pickled Sweet Peppers
½ cup apple cider vinegar
½ cup water
2 tablespoons kosher salt
3 tablespoons sugar
1 clove garlic
1 bay leaf
2 cloves
12 baby sweet peppers
Pickled Anaheim Peppers
½ cup apple cider vinegar
½ cup water
3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons salt
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon orange zest
1 pinch dried Sicilian oregano
8 Anaheim chiles
Pickled Ramps
1 cup trimmed ramp stems
2 pods star anise
1 Splash Sherry vinegar
1 Splash white soy
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
Bacon Pickled Fiddlehead Ferns
1 cup smoked bacon, diced small
½ cup apple cider vinegar
½ cup water
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
black pepper
4 ounces fiddlehead ferns, blanched
Toasted Farro
¼ cup olive oil
2 cups pearled Umbrian farro, cooked
1 tablespoon Sicilian capers
salt
black pepper
Yellow Beet Mustard
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1 cup water
¼ cup salt
½ cup sugar
1 bay leaf
6 medium yellow beets
2 tablespoons mustard oil
Assemble and Serve
butter
Sprig rosemary

METHOD:

Stuffed Trotter

Heat an immersion circulator to 185F. With a -inch die, grind pork shank, belly, jowl, and shoulder. Transfer pork mixture to mixing bowl with salt, star anise, fennel seeds, coriander, sugar, comapeño chile, and InstaCure #2 and combine. With a -inch die, pass mixture through grinder. Stuff trotter with ground pork mixture. Using plastic wrap, tightly wrap and seal stuffed trotter into a cylindrical shape. Prick wrapped trotter several times to prevent fat from separating and meat from drying out. Cook trotter sous vide for 3 hours. Remove from bag and pat trotter dry with paper towels.

Pickled Sweet Peppers

In a medium saucepan over high heat, combine vinegar, water, salt, sugar, garlic, bay leaf, and cloves over high heat and bring to boil. Fill a mason jar with sweet peppers and pour liquid over the peppers. Screw on lid and submerge jar in boiling water to seal. When sealed, remove from water and let cool.

Pickled Anaheim Peppers

In a medium saucepan over high heat, combine vinegar, water, sugar, salt, fennel seeds, red pepper flakes, orange zest, and oregano and bring liquid to boil. Fill a mason jar with Anaheim peppers and pour liquid over the peppers. Screw on lid and submerge jar in boiling water to seal. When sealed, remove from water and let cool.

Pickled Ramps

In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients and let pickle for 15 to 20 minutes.

Bacon Pickled Fiddlehead Ferns

In a medium pot over high heat, combine bacon, vinegar, water, salt, sugar, and black pepper. Bring to boil, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes. Cool completely and strain. Add ferns to pickling liquid and refrigerate 24 hours.

Toasted Farro

In a medium pan, saut farro in olive oil until browned and toasted. Add capers, 2 tablespoons Pickled Baby Sweet Peppers, and 1 tablespoon Pickled Anaheim Peppers. Season with salt, pepper, and a splash of pickling liquid from peppers.

Yellow Beet Mustard

In a medium pot, combine vinegar, water, salt, sugar, and bay leaf and bring to boil. Add beets and boil 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let beets cool in pickling liquid. Drain beets and reserve pickling liquid. Pure pickled beets with splash of pickling liquid and mustard oil. Season mustard with salt.

Assemble and Serve

In a large saut pan over medium heat, baste trotter with butter and rosemary for about 10 minutes or until skin is golden brown and crisp. Rest trotter 15 minutes. Slice into -inch medallions and serve with Pickled Baby Sweet Peppers, Pickled Anaheim Peppers, Bacon Pickled Fiddlehead Ferns, Pickled Ramps, Toasted Farro, and Yellow Beet Mustard.