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.
When you fry pig’s ears, use a covered fryer if you have one. If you don’t, stand back, I mean way back, or better yet, go have a glass of wine in the other room while they cook. They pop and sputter like crazy. Yes, you’ll have to clean the kitchen floor when you’re done, but once you’re chewing that ear, I promise you, you won’t mind.
Recipe information
Yield
serves 6
Ingredients
Pig’s Ears
Panzanela
Preparation
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Step 2
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.
Step 3
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.
Step 4
To make the panzanella, preheat the oven to 350°F. Bring a pot of water to a boil and prepare an ice-water bath.
Step 5
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.
Step 6
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.
Step 7
To serve, divide the panzanella among 6 shallow bowls. Garnish each bowl with half a fried ear.
