Pig's Foot (Au Pied du Cochon)

1. 1

   Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

2. 2

   Place onions, garlic, and rosemary in the bottom of a cold saute pan.

3. 3

   Place the pig's foot in the center of the pan, with the smaller part of the foot down.

4. 4

   Place the tomatoes along 1 side of the foot and the mushrooms along the other.

5. 5

   Pour the pork stock and mushroom juice over the pig's foot and place the pan on the top rack of the oven.

6. 6

   Cook for 20 to 25 minutes, basting every 3 minutes, until the skin is crisp and golden and the center is hot (approximately 145 degrees F).

7. 7

   Once the pig's foot is ready, place it on a plate and cut the butcher's twine.

8. 8

   Serve with boiled potatoes, if desired.

9. 9

   While you are doing this, let sauce cook over a high flame until slightly reduced.

10. 10

    Add the vinaigrette base, salt, pepper, and haricots verts and stir to combine.

11. 11

    Once you have added the vinaigrette, remove from heat or the emulsification will break.

12. 12

    Dress the pig's foot with the sauce and sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper.

13. 13

    1 pig's foot (shank removed)

14. 14

    1 recipe Stuffing, recipe follows

15. 15

    1 (3 1/2-ounce) piece foie gras

16. 16

    Salt

17. 17

    Butcher's twine (10 to 15 inches)

18. 18

    1 larding needle

19. 19

    1 candle

20. 20

    1 gallon pork stock or other poaching liquid

21. 21

    Rinse the pig's foot under cold running water for 10 minutes and dry thoroughly.

22. 22

    Use a spoon to stuff half of the pig's foot with the Stuffing.

23. 23

    Liberally salt the foie gras and place it inside the pig's foot.

24. 24

    Add the rest of the stuffing and pack tightly.

25. 25

    Thread the butcher's twine through the needle and heat the tip of the needle over the candle; the hot needle will pass through the fat and skin more easily.

26. 26

    Sew the pig's foot shut, tying it off at 1 end and then the other.

27. 27

    Bring the poaching liquid to a boil, add the pig's foot, and turn off the flame.

28. 28

    Poach for 10 minutes or until pig's foot feels firm to the touch.

29. 29

    2 tablespoons pork or duck fat

30. 30

    1/2 cup porcini mushrooms, cut into 1-inch pieces

31. 31

    Salt and pepper

32. 32

    Splash water or white wine, for deglazing

33. 33

    1/3 cup sliced Spanish onions

34. 34

    2 sprigs fresh rosemary

35. 35

    4 cloves garlic, peeled and halved

36. 36

    1 1/4 cup braised pork shank meat, cut into 1/2-inch cubes, recipe follows

37. 37

    1/4 cup braised pork foot meat, coarsely chopped, recipe follows

38. 38

    Heat a large saute pan over high heat until it begins to haze.

39. 39

    Add 1 tablespoon of pork fat and the mushrooms, making sure mushrooms are in 1 even layer.

40. 40

    Let the mushrooms sit in the pan, without movement, for 30 seconds or until a nice golden color forms.

41. 41

    Toss the mushrooms and repeat until nicely colored.

42. 42

    Sprinkle with salt and cook for 30 more seconds.

43. 43

    Pour mushrooms into a sieve set over a plastic container and set aside.

44. 44

    Deglaze the pan with a splash of water or white wine and pour over the mushrooms.

45. 45

    Reheat the pan over medium heat and add the rest of the pork fat.

46. 46

    Add onions and rosemary, stirring constantly so as not to form any color.

47. 47

    Sweat the onions until they become soft and translucent.

48. 48

    At this point, add the garlic and cook until fragrant.

49. 49

    Then add cubed pork meat and toss lightly until everything is combined; make sure the meat does not fall apart or you will lose some texture in the stuffing.

50. 50

    Once everything is combined, add pig foot meat, season with salt and pepper, and turn the heat to low.

51. 51

    As the collagen in the foot meat begins to melt, add the reserved porcini mushrooms, reserving the liquid for the sauce.

52. 52

    Stir occasionally until everything is combined and evenly seasoned.

53. 53

    Transfer stuffing to a plate and place in the refrigerator to cool completely.

54. 54

    Braised Pig's Foot and Pork Shank

55. 55

    1 pig's foot with shank attached

56. 56

    1 gallon pork stock

57. 57

    1 carrot

58. 58

    1 onion

59. 59

    1 stalk celery

60. 60

    1 head garlic

61. 61

    10 sprigs fresh thyme

62. 62

    1 tablespoon black peppercorns

63. 63

    Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.

64. 64

    Using a boning knife, peel the skin of the shank away from the meat until you reach the ankle.

65. 65

    Use a saw or a cleaver to cut the bone at the ankle.

66. 66

    Place the pig's foot and shank in a deep pan with the pork stock, carrot, onion, celery, garlic, thyme, and peppercorns and place in oven.

67. 67

    Cook for 3 to 4 hours or until the meat is falling off the bone.

68. 68

    Once cooked, pull the shank meat off the bone and reserve.

69. 69

    Discard the bone.

70. 70

    Pull the skin off the pig's foot and remove all of the bone, reserving the meat and discarding the bone.

71. 71

    1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

72. 72

    1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar

73. 73

    Salt

74. 74

    1/2 cup vegetable oil

75. 75

    1 teaspoon warm water

76. 76

    Put the mustard, vinegar, and salt in a mixing bowl and whisk until frothy.

77. 77

    Slowly drizzle in half of the oil while whisking constantly.

78. 78

    Drizzle in the water and then the remaining oil, while still whisking rapidly.

79. 79

    The vinaigrette should be light and creamy.

* Per serving · 4 servings · Values may vary.