Sunday pork sause

Also with Wells Farm pork I made this sauce with pig skins, sausage and ribs.  The skins gave it a very smooth, silky gelatinous mouth feel. 

This was done a bit off the traditional family recipe, but I didn't have the pignoli nuts, or parsley.  I used currents, parmigiano reggiano, jalapeno, walnuts, salt and pepper.  They were my favorite thing in the pot....sweetness from the currents, texture and big flavor from the walnuts...really good.  Plus I think it is more "traditional" to use what is in the house at that moment.

But first we ate a nice pasta salse with fresh parsley, a splash of olio santo, and parmigiano reggiano.

First sausage of the year

With a ham and a shoulder from the Wells Farm Pig I made a fresh sausage with salt tellicherry black pepper, sweet paprika, and red wine.  The lighter sausage is made with Turkey, (Teresa only bought the breast......), Pork Fat, clove, all spice, black pepper, salt, and cranberry's.

Porchetta di Testa

After I shaved and cleaned this head it was deboned. 

I had rosemary, sage, thyme, parley, and oregano growing in the garden so I Finley chopped them with garlic and lemon zest.  This marinated for 2 days in the refrigerator.

Following Chef Cosentino's video to the T, I tried to tie this thing up as best as I could.  The ears were folded in the tung was left in the middle to add more meat.  It took forever and a few blisters but It was tight. I then vacuum sealed it in plastic, then put the whole thing in a stock pot for 14 hours to poach at 190 degrees F.

It was put directly in the refrigerator and chilled for 2 days.  I was sure I did something wrong, when I cut in to it and saw this beautiful mosaic of pork, I must say I was proud. 

The two big fatty parts with light pink running through are the jowls, the dark pink peaces are the toung, the squiggly white lines are the ears and you can see the herbs throughout along with the gelatin kind of like head cheese.  The smell of this thing right out of the fridge was awesome.  but tasting it cold with some olive oil and parmigianoreggiano and basil was unctuous porky heaven.  The mouth feel was so silky.to the bread it also was excellent.