BRAWN

BRAWN

2 large pig’s trotters

900 g belly of pork

30 ml white wine vinegar

10 ml salt

12 black peppercorns

8 whole allspice berries

2 cloves

5 ml dried mixed herbs

1 medium onion, skinned and roughly chopped

2 eggs, hard-boiled

1. Ask your butcher to split the trotters. Put them and the belly of pork into a large saucepan. Pour over 1.7 litres water and add the vinegar, salt, peppercorns, allspice, cloves, mixed herbs and onion.


2. Bring slowly to the boil, cover and simmer for 2 ½ hours. Every 20 – 30 minutes skim off any scum that rises to the surface.


3. Remove the meat and strain the liquid into a clean saucepan. Boil to reduce to about 300 ml. leave until cool but not set, then skim.


4. When the meat is cool enough to handle, skin and dice the belly of pork, discarding bones, and remove all the meat from the trotters.


5. Slice the hard-boiled eggs and arrange on the bottom and sides of a 900 ml bowl or soufflé dish. Arrange the meat in layers on top.


6. Gently pour in enough of the reduced liquid to cover the meat. Place a small saucer and light weight on top. Chill until set into a firm but not solid jelly. Remove any fat from the surface before turning out for serving.
   Serves 6

BRAWN