I Buy A Pig Head -- Part 5
Channel: slobomotion
Date: 2013-12-10

Digital video recording, comments and annotations copyright 2013 Lisa B. Falour, B.S., M.B.A.
cutecatfaith.com
Dailymotion:  LisaFalour
YouTube:  SLOBOMOTION, CUTECATFAITH

Hi!  I hope you're enjoying this series.  I'm an American in France and am now French, too.  I like the food here but it was a big change for me.  I'm Pennsy Dutch from Ohio and NYC and also have Slovenian, so am accustomed to doing things hands-on.  This was indeed a daunting task, however.

I like cold sliced charcuterie but can also enjoy something like head cheese in aspic.  If I try this again, I will try to either get the meat off the bone to roll it to slice or have a butcher do that for me.  As it stood, I got enough food from this head for 20 adults.  The total cost was about 10 euros plus my time.  I usually work and I see this could really be done in stages.

The French do not like spicy foods much so I went with a mild version, using some "garbure" plus a heck of a lot of water.  I may have cooked it too long, but the meat fell right off the bone and everything but the roof of the mouth and some gristle seemed useable.  I tasted part of an eye and it was fine!  You use the brain and tongue in this, too.  I then roasted the skull to attempt a stock next day after everything is cleaned up.  

This is a bunch of pig head meat in an aspic cooked down from a lot of water, broth and stuff.  Some people apparently add a pig foot for more jelly or some gelatin, but I don't think that's been necessary.  The solid bits do need to be carefully strained and strained.  And you have to inspect the head, pluck and shave or torch it, as needed.  And then soak it in some white (or apple cider) vinegar at least 15 minutes initially.

Pork is a staple food in France and much appreciated.  The meat is pulled apart, inspected, minced by hands (I did find a few tiny bones and one or two things of gristle) and the aspic, very strained, is poured over it into terrine dishes to chill.  Ideally, these should be covered and pressed but I didn't have the means.

I'm also going to try to freeze one -- I'm not sure it will work.  There was still a bowl of aspic left over and I've learned that for all this kind of thing, you keep a special ice cube tray which is not for drinks or anything, only food, and pour it into one tepid.  You can then freeze cubes of it you can take out, wrap and keep frozen.  They are great to throw into rice, pasta, vegetables, a heck of a lot of things.  I guess you could throw them at something else if you feel so inclined.  

I've done two cooking columns in my time, been a chef's assistant here in Paris, was an ordinary cook in the USA, and never feel at home in a new place unless I can buy produce myself in their language and cook it right there.  I rent "gîtes" in France, also, and save a bundle on vacation by cooking in and just limiting restaurant meals to special times.  I need to touch, smell and try to prepare things.  "Babette's Feast" is probably my favorite movie.