PANZANELLA WITH CRISPY PIG'S EAR
I'm an ear man-if we're talking pig. Crispy pig's ears are gelatinous, cartilaginous, rich, chewy goodness that make an awfully lovely garnish for a fresh panzanella bursting with summer vegetables. You'll want to allow about half an ear per person, which should amount to about a pound, depending on the pigs, of course. As with many of the best cuts of the pig, it takes a while to get ears into a perfect state for eating. You can boil them, but to get them perfectly tender and ready for frying, I like to poach them in oil first. You need to plan ahead-they take about six hours in a slow oven-but you could do that the day before, or even in the evening when it's cooler out, then finish them off the day you're going to serve them.
Yield serves 6
Number Of Ingredients 13
Steps:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- To prepare the pig's ears, wash them well under cold running water. Put them in a deep-sided braising dish with the garlic and thyme and cover completely with olive oil. Cover with foil and poach for 5 to 6 hours, or until completely tender. You can strain the poaching oil through a fine-mesh sieve and keep for frying and sautéing.
- Up to 2 hours before serving, bring 3 inches of oil to 350°F in a deep-fat fryer or Dutch oven. Remove the ears from the braising pan and cut each in half. Fry for 6 to 8 minutes, or until crispy all the way through. Set aside on a wire rack to drain.
- To make the panzanella, preheat the oven to 350°F. Bring a pot of water to a boil and prepare an ice-water bath.
- Toss the bread cubes with 3 tablespoons of the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake until slightly dry but still chewy in the center, about 15 minutes.
- Place the anchovies and garlic in a large bowl with the remaining 4 tablespoons olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. Add the tomatoes, and lemon juice. Shave the onion on a mandoline and add to the mixture. Add the bread cubes and allow to sit for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- To serve, divide the panzanella among 6 shallow bowls. Garnish each bowl with half a fried ear.
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