Studzienina Polish Head Cheese Food

POLISH JELLIED PIGS' FEET (ZIMNE NOGI OR STUDZIENINA)

Steps:

• Rinse the pigs' feet and pat them dry with a paper towel.
• In a large pot, place pigs' feet and just enough water to barely cover them. Add peeled soup greens, bay leaf , peppercorns, allspice, garlic, and salt. Bring to a boil, skimming off any foam.
• Add pork loin, again bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until feet meat is falling off the bones.
• Remove the meat from the water and debone it. Strain broth through gauze and place in a clean pot. Dice the cooked carrots from the soup greens and the meat into small pieces.
• Return diced meat and carrots to the broth along with marjoram and more crushed garlic and salt and pepper, if desired. Bring to a boil and add dissolved gelatin, stirring until well incorporated.
• Cool slightly and pour into molds, small bowls or ramekins. Refrigerate overnight.
• When ready to serve, unmold onto a serving platter or individual plates. Garnish with greens or parsley, if desired, and serve with vinegar, horseradish, lemon, and marinated mushrooms to be used at the discretion of the diner.

UKRAINIAN JELLIED PIG'S FEET (HEAD CHEESE)

Steps:

• Wash and scrape the feet and shanks very thoroughly.
• Wipe dry and broil on all sides until they are a delicate golden color. Do not scorch. Should any part become scorched, scrape it and wash well.
• Cut the feet in half lengthwise. Place the meat in a large kettle, add the salt, cover with cold water, bring to a boil and skim. Cover and simmer very slowly for about 3 hours. The success of this dish depends on slow simmering. Rapid boiling makes the liquid milky in color.
• Cut the onion in half, and brown it in an ungreased pan. This enhances the flavor and color of the broth. Add the onion and the remaining ingredients, EXCEPT the vinegar, to the meat, and continue simmering until the meat comes off the bones easily.
• Total cooking time is about 5 hours or longer. When done, strain, remove the bones, spices, and vegetables except the carrot.
• Arrange the meat and chopped carrot in a suitable dish. Add the vinegar to the broth and season to taste with salt.
• If a firm jelly is desired, soften 1 tablespoon of gelatin in 1/4 cup cold water. Blend it with a small quantity of the hot broth and stir into the broth.
• Some cooks prefer to add a clove crushed garlic to the broth at this stage rather than to cook it along with the other ingredients. If this is followed, strain the broth again to remove all the particles of garlic.
• Pour over the meat and chill until firm. Before serving, scrape off all the fat from the top.
• Serve in slices and garnish with sprigs of parsley and hard cooked eggs.
• JELLIED PIG'S FEET with CHICKEN:.
• Follow the recipe above, but replace the shank with 1/2 small chicken. Simmer the pig's feet until barely tender, and then add the chicken and continue simmering until all are done. For best results use gelatin in this dish as directed in the recipe above.

HEAD CHEESE

Steps:

• Clean pork head, removing bristles, ears and eyes, jaws and bones of nose.
• Cook with hocks, tongue, heart and beef.
• Cook rinds in a sepatate container.
• When well done, remove meat from bones and grind all through a fine plate.
• Mis very well and add some salt and pepper with meat juice to make a good mix.
• Place the ground results in a cheesecloth bag and top with a heavy weight to press out the "extra" fat.
• When cold, cut in large slices, and make a mix of 2 cups of water and one cup vinegar, bring to a boil, then cool and pour over meat, letting stand in a crock pot for 5 days or until fully soaked through.
• Serve with raw onion and vinegar for dinner, or herat and serve with fried potato -- .

ZRAZY ZAWIJANE (POLISH BEEF ROULADE IN SOUR CREAM SAUCE)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• In a heavy skillet, melt 2 tablespoons butter with 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat.
• Saute the mushrooms and onions until the liquid in the pan starts to evaporate (8-10 minutes) (Do NOT let the mushrooms brown).
• Stir in the bread crumbs and half of the salt and pepper; remove from heat.
• Cut the steak into 8 rectangular pieces 3-4" wide by 6-8" long, sprinkle both sides evenly with remaining salt and pepper.
• Spread a thin layer of the mustard on each slice of beef, and place 1/8 of the stuffing on the shorter end of each piece of steak.
• Roll the steaks into cyclinders, enclosing the stuffing, and tuck in the sides; secure each end with kitchen cord.
• Roll the zrazy in flour and vigorously shake off any excess.
• In a heavy skillet, melt remaining butter with oil over high heat, and brown the rolls, turning them often so they evenly turn a rich golden brown without burning (about 15 minutes).
• As they brown transfer them to a casserole dish large enough to hold them all in a single layer.
• Pour off all but a thin layer of fat from the skillet and replace it with the beef stock.
• Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring constantly (scraping the bottom and sides of the pan).
• Pour the broth over the rolls and cover tightly.
• Braise in the oven until the meat is so tender that it gives no resistance when pierced with the tip of a skewer or knife (45 minutes).
• Remove the zrazy from the casserole dish, cut the cord off and cover with tin foil to keep the rolls warm while you make the sauce.
• Skim off and discard as much of the fat as possible from the liquid remaining in the casserole dish.
• Return to a boil over high heat, stirring constantly.
• Remove from heat, and mix in the sour cream.
• Season to taste and serve over zrazy.

FRENCH CANADIAN HEAD CHEESE

Steps:

• Boil meat until very tender, adding water when necessary, save stock, remove meat. Allow meat to cool a bit and grind medium weight, then return to stock.
• Add onion and garlic powder to taste. Boil until thick.
• Add salt and pepper and allspice to taste.
• Pour into molds, cool and refrigerate until set, 3 to 4 hours.