Pork Trotter with Orange Peel

Ingredients

1 whole pork trotter (shank) about 1.5 kg
250ml soy sauce
500ml wine
500ml water
125ml vinegar
75g sugar
12 slices ginger
6 spring onions, cut into 5cm sections
Peel one whole fresh orange
1 stick cinnamon, broken into 2-3 pieces
2whole star anise
1 tsp Sichuan pepper corns
1 bunch fresh spinach, blanched

Method

Fill a large pot (large enough to hold the whole trotter) about two thirds full of water and bring to the boil. Place the trotter into the boiling water and leave it there until the water returns to a boil, then pour all the water out into the sink, leaving the trotter in the pot.

Add all of the other ingredients to the pot and place pot in high heat and bring the contents to a boil, then lower the heat to medium, cover with a lid and simmer for about 3 hours, turning the trotter occasionally. After 2 hours, reduce heat to medium-low and check from time to time to make sure that the sauce has not evaporated too much. If the level of sauce does not cover at least one-third of the trotter, add another cup or two of water and wine mixed in equal portions.

When done, turn off heat and leave the pot covered on stove until ready to serve.

Just before serving, blanch the spinach by placing it into a pot of boiling water for 1 minute. Drain.

To serve, lay a bed of blanched spinach on a platte, then transfer the whole trotter onto the spinach. Use a knife and fork to break the trotter apart, then drizzle some of the braising sauce over it.


(Serves : 4)