12317 Carpaccio of Pig's Feet, Celery, and Black Truffles Serves 6 to 8 Wed Aug 06 01:03:42 -0700 2008 Wed Feb 04 03:35:07 -0800 2009 Licensed http://www.chow.com/recipes/12317 Wed, 04 Feb 2009 11:35:07 GMT Sometimes you fall so in love with the presentation of a dish, you decide then and there to make it. This is exactly what happened to me when I first tasted this dish, a creation of the brothers Jacques and Laurent Pourcel of the restaurant Le Jardin des Sens in Montpellier.

Their dish consists of thinly sliced boned pig's feet smothered with fresh favas, lots of thin sliced black truffles, a truffle vinaigrette, bits of tomato, and a few sprigs of fresh chervil. It was a stunning presentation.

In my adapted version, I cook the pig's feet slowly in an aromatic broth, then bone them, roll them into a long cylinder, wrap well, and return them to the still simmering broth to cook to a congealed state (akin to that of a sausage). I then allow the “sausage” to cool, and finally slice it into very thin rounds, which the frères Pourcel call “carpaccio.” Because all this requires a lot of work, I decided to forgo the fresh favas, replacing them with small chunks of cooked celery, which, being bright green, look good and goes so well with truffles.

Deciding that truffle vinaigrette and smothering a dish with true Périgord truffles was more than I could afford, I opted for Chinese truffles, and adding literally a single drop of black truffle oil to the vinaigrette. It's kind of cheating, but it works really well.

You can prepare the roll of pig's feet well in advance and refrigerate or freeze.

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  • Soak the pig's feet in a bowl of water with the vinegar for 5 minutes; drain. Place the feet in a deep pot. Cover with 2 quarts fresh water and bring to a boil, skimming. Add the carrots, garlic, onion, bay leaves, salt, and peppercorns. Simmer for 3 hours, or until the pig's feet are very tender.
  • Remove the pig's feet to a cutting board; set the pot of cooking liquid aside. As soon as the pig's feet are cool enough to handle, bone them using a small sharp knife and a pair of scissors. Cut out all the small bones and gristle. Spread the pig's feet, skin side down, on a long sheet of foil or parchment paper to form a narrow rectangle about 15 inches long. Scatter any loose chunks of pork on top. Season generously with salt and pepper. Using the foil or paper as an aid, roll the pig's feet into a cylinder and wrap tightly. Be sure that the shape is even, and squeeze gently to press out any air pockets. Tightly double-wrap the roll in heatproof plastic wrap or seal in a boilable pouch.
  • Bring the cooking liquid in the pot to a boil. Add the roll of pig's feet and boil for 10 minutes. Immediately slip the roll into a bowl filled with cold water to quickly cool it down. Refrigerate the roll overnight. (The recipe can be prepared to this point up to 3 days in advance and refrigerated, or frozen for serving at a later date.)
  • When ready to serve, string the celery; cut into ½-inch dice. Steam the celery until tender, 5 to 8 minutes. Cool under cold running water; drain well. Season lightly with salt.
  • Unwrap the pig's foot roll and use a narrow-bladed knife to cut the roll into about 36 very thin slices. Arrange in concentric circles on a heatproof serving platter. Set in a cold oven and turn the oven temperature on to 350°F. Bake for 15 minutes, or until just warm to the touch.
  • Drizzle half of the Truffle Vinaigrette over the pig's feet, scatter the celery and sliced truffles on top, and moisten with the remaining vinaigrette. Garnish with diced tomato, fresh herbs, and a nice pinch of fleur de sel.
  • The pig's feet poaching liquid can be saved and used for soups, bean dishes, or cooking more pig's feet.
  • Stir together the lemon juice and salt to dissolve the salt. Mix in the olive oil. Stir in the truffle oil and trimmings.
    • ]]>     http://www.chow.com Paula Wolfert 50 Main 2 pig's feet, split lengthwise, about 4 pounds

    ]]>     1 tablespoon white vinegar

    ]]>     2 carrots, washed and cut into chunks

    ]]>     2 garlic cloves, peeled and bruised

    ]]>     1 onion, halved, stuck with 2 cloves

    ]]>     2 imported bay leaves

    ]]>     1 tablespoon coarse kosher salt

    ]]>     ½ teaspoon black peppercorns

    ]]>     Salt and freshly ground pepper

    ]]>     12 bright green celery ribs

    ]]>     1 small black truffle, fresh or canned, trimmed and thinly sliced (trimmings reserved)

    ]]>     Truffle Vinaigrette (page 88)]]> Diced tomato, sprigs of parsley, and fleur de sel, for garnish

    ]]>     2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

    ]]>     Coarse sea salt

    ]]>     3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

    ]]>     ¼ teaspoon black truffle oil, preferably French

    ]]>     Truffle trimmings (reserved above; optional)

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