Headcheese

[KJT]

Managed to get a whole pigs head and some fresh trotters and am figuring out what I'd like to do this weekend.

Headcheese:

From Charcuterie, like this http://menuinprogress.com/2007/11/coppa-di-testa.html

or

These pork medallions from The French Laundry Cookbook
http://carolcookskeller.blogspot.com...pigs-head.html


What do you guys think? The headcheese seems like a much shorter process, and is the way I'm leaning, but my buddy is pushing for the medallions. I have no experience with either, so advice is always welcome.

Thanks

 

[mordecai]

i've been wanting to do a terrine like that, but those medallions look fantastic too. whatever you decide, post lots of photos please

 

[itsstillmatt]

Headcheese isn't hard to make, but I don't actually love it. The best dish I ever had was a simmered pig's head, but I don't know if I would give it a shot myself. I guess I would if I had one sitting in my kitchen.

 

[edinatlanta]

Originally Posted by iammatt

Headcheese isn't hard to make, but I don't actually love it. The best dish I ever had was a simmered pig's head, but I don't know if I would give it a shot myself. I guess I would if I had one sitting in my kitchen.

Aren't you Jewish as well?

 

[itsstillmatt]

Originally Posted by edinatlanta

Aren't you Jewish as well?
yes. a bad, bad jew.

 

[KJT]

Originally Posted by mharwitt

i've been wanting to do a terrine like that, but those medallions look fantastic too. whatever you decide, post lots of photos please

Yeah, I'll post a lot of pictures whatever we end up making.

Originally Posted by iammatt

Headcheese isn't hard to make, but I don't actually love it. The best dish I ever had was a simmered pig's head, but I don't know if I would give it a shot myself. I guess I would if I had one sitting in my kitchen.

I've never had properly prepared headcheese, so I thought it would be fun to try it. Care to elaborate on the simmered pig's head dish that was the best dish you've ever had?

 

[itsstillmatt]

Originally Posted by KJT

Yeah, I'll post a lot of pictures whatever we end up making.



I've never had properly prepared headcheese, so I thought it would be fun to try it. Care to elaborate on the simmered pig's head dish that was the best dish you've ever had?
It was one of Robuchon's signature dishes back in the day. I have the recipe somewhere, but it was basically just cut in half, brains and tongue removed, then the half heads braised in pork stock with ginger and vegetables, then deboned and rolled. THe tongue braised separately. Then the braising liquid reduced, the half heads and the tongue reheated in the braising liquid and then sliced, the brain poached and plopped on top and some glazed baby vegetables, a little chopped truffle and some mashed potatoes. I'm pretty sure that is right, but not positive.

 

[mordecai]

Originally Posted by iammatt

It was one of Robuchon's signature dishes back in the day. I have the recipe somewhere, but it was basically just cut in half, brains and tongue removed, then the half heads braised in pork stock with ginger and vegetables, then deboned and rolled. THe tongue braised separately. Then the braising liquid reduced, the half heads and the tongue reheated in the braising liquid and then sliced, the brain poached and plopped on top and some glazed baby vegetables, a little chopped truffle and some mashed potatoes. I'm pretty sure that is right, but not positive.

sounds great, but they must have had an exceptionally morbid freezer

 

[kwilkinson]

Originally Posted by iammatt

It was one of Robuchon's signature dishes back in the day. I have the recipe somewhere, but it was basically just cut in half, brains and tongue removed, then the half heads braised in pork stock with ginger and vegetables, then deboned and rolled. THe tongue braised separately. Then the braising liquid reduced, the half heads and the tongue reheated in the braising liquid and then sliced, the brain poached and plopped on top and some glazed baby vegetables, a little chopped truffle and some mashed potatoes. I'm pretty sure that is right, but not positive.

Do you have a recipe for the La Folie pig's trotters?

 

[KJT]

Originally Posted by iammatt

It was one of Robuchon's signature dishes back in the day. I have the recipe somewhere, but it was basically just cut in half, brains and tongue removed, then the half heads braised in pork stock with ginger and vegetables, then deboned and rolled. THe tongue braised separately. Then the braising liquid reduced, the half heads and the tongue reheated in the braising liquid and then sliced, the brain poached and plopped on top and some glazed baby vegetables, a little chopped truffle and some mashed potatoes. I'm pretty sure that is right, but not positive.

apparently Eric Ripert feels the same:

Q: If you could only eat one dish made by another chef for the rest of your life, what would it be?
"”Question from Heidi Richardson McHugh

A: It would be an old signature dish from chef Joel Robuchon: braised pig head with mashed potatoes. I was working in his kitchen at the time. He braises the head ... takes the tongue, cheeks, different parts of the neck and presents them on a plate with the braising sauce, which has so many spices and a lot of flavor. And it's paired with the most silky, smooth mashed potatoes you've ever had in your life.

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/402782...oday-foodwine/

 

[texas_jack]

It's easy to get heacheese at the grocery store so I'd make something a little more exotic.

 

[KJT]

Originally Posted by texas_jack

It's easy to get heacheese at the grocery store so I'd make something a little more exotic.

I'm certainly open to suggestions and recipes.

 

[KJT]

IMPORTANT NOTICE: No media files are hosted on these forums. By clicking the link below you agree to view content from an external website. We can not be held responsible for the suitability or legality of this material. If the video does not play, wait a minute or try again later. I AGREE

TIP: to embed Youtube clips, put only the encoded part of the Youtube URL, e.g. eBGIQ7ZuuiU between the tags.

Thoughts?

 

[Stu]

Originally Posted by iammatt

Headcheese isn't hard to make, but I don't actually love it. The best dish I ever had was a simmered pig's head, but I don't know if I would give it a shot myself. I guess I would if I had one sitting in my kitchen.

I had headcheese once in an Amish woman's home. My grandfather used to take the whole family out for breakfast on Christmas, and one year he paid the Amish neighbors to cook for us. We went to their home and they served us this killer breakfast in their basement. I wouldn't normally think of eating headcheese but this tasted amazing.

 

[randallr]

I'm sorry but that looks disgusting.