stews

“Pigs Trotters” (Part 1 – Caribbean Souse)

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Pig’s feet  are not everybody’s cup of tea, but for those of us who love them, they are a special treat.
I prepare them quite often, in stews, steamed, braised, Asian style, Latin style, German style; any which way is fine with me 🙂
The following dish is Caribbean Style Souse, as I enjoyed it many moon’s ago a couple of times in Trinidad, at the home of my friend Lyron’s mother.
Very spicy and lightly acidic, with lots of vegetables, it was the perfect food on a hot day by the beach, spend in wonderful company and washed down with a few bottles of Carib Beer – nothing else was needed in those moments to feel happy and content 🙂
These meals (and times) are now in the distant past; all that’s left are the happy memories, vividly recalled by preparing the meals we enjoyed together then – Lyron and his wife Dorsey, my wife Maria, myself and Lyron’s mother, whose name eludes me after all these years but whom I always remember when preparing this particular souse………….
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Bon Appétit !   Life is Good !

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“Pigs Trotters” (Part 1 – Caribbean Souse)

Caribbean Souse

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Preparation :
To read instructions, hover over pictures
To enlarge pictures and read instructions, click on pictures:
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: pigs trotter, kosher salt, sriracha, lemon juice, grated ginger and garlic paste to taste

: simmer until very tender, but NOT ! falling part, 2-3 hours, remove the trotters and rinse, strain the broth

: hot, spicy pork broth with ginger and garlic – better than tea or coffee

: hot, spicy pork broth with ginger and garlic – better than tea or coffee

: for the garnish . lime or lemon (I prefer lemon, but original its lime), cilantro, onions, chillis, scallions, garlic paste

: put the trotters in a non-reactive bowl, add water, lime juice (I used lemon), kosher salt, cayenne pepper and garlic paste to taste (the flavor should resemble ceviche)

: add the garnish, mix, let marinade overnight

: “Pigs Trotters” (Part 1 – Caribbean Souse)

: “Pigs Trotters” (Part 1 – Caribbean Souse)

: “Pigs Trotters” (Part 1 – Caribbean Souse)

: “Pigs Trotters” (Part 1 – Caribbean Souse)

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Sauerkraut Soup

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If you’ve ever lived in Germany or even just visited for a short time, you know that sauerkraut is everywhere, especially as you go further South.
Sauerkraut is surprisingly versatile. At some time not too long ago, before fridges and freezers were found in every household, cabbage was one of the few vegetables which were available abundantly year-round. During the first few months after the fall harvest, there was fresh cabbage available, cheap and healthy. Then, as the months went on, fermented cabbage (Sauerkraut) took its place, also cheap and even more healthy (It helped that every house usually had a big cellar to store all these goodies). Therefore, while sauerkraut in Europe is certainly eaten with foods like sausages and roasted pork, you’ll also find sauerkraut in casseroles, savory pastries, breads, meatballs, pasta, fritters, salads, quiche, sandwiches, pizzas and stews. And of course in soups, such as today’s recipe, “Sauerkraut Soup”.
Sauerkraut soup comes in a myriad of variations, being different from house to house, restaurant to restaurant, region to region and country to country. My favorite is of course the one which reminds me of my Mom’s version, mild, creamy and chock-full of smoked meat. This can be smoked meat from any part of the pig or a combination of different smoked meats.
But, whatever you do, whatever variation you prepare – DO NOT USE INFERIOR QUALITY KRAUT.
If your butcher prepares and sell’s his own sauerkraut, use that. If you can not get fresh from your butcher or, even better, make your own (I do not advise this if you live in a small place without separate storage space – (fermenting cabbage does NOT smell too good in the house), buy the best you can in a can or glass.
For commercial Sauerkraut, I usually choose Kühne, Paulsen or Hengstenberg. There are many more available all over the world, but if you don’t want to gamble, stick with these three.
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Bon Appétit ! Life is Good !
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Excerpt from Wiki :
“Cabbage soup may refer to any of the variety of soups based on various cabbages, or on sauerkraut and known under different names in national cuisines. Often it is a vegetable soup. It may be prepared with different ingredients. Vegetarian cabbage soup may use mushroom stock. Another variety is using a fish stock. Traditional cabbage soup is prepared using a pork stock.

Cabbage soup is popular in Polish, Slovak and Ukrainian cuisine. It is known as kapuśniak or kwaśnica in Polish, kapustnica in Slovak and капусняк (kapusnyak) in Ukrainian. It is also found in Czech (Czech: zelňačka or zelná polévka), German (German: Kohlsuppe or Krautsuppe), French (French: soupe aux choux) cuisine, and Swedish (Swedish: kålsoppa) cuisine.

The Swedish cabbage soup is usually made from white cabbage, which is browned before being boiled, and seasoned with generous amounts of allspice and sometimes served with boiled meatballs.

A variety of the soup called shchi (Russian: щи) is a national dish of Russia. While commonly is it made of cabbages, dishes of the same name may be based on dock, spinach or nettle. The sauerkraut soup is called “sour shchi”, as opposed to “fresh cabbage shchi”.“
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Sauerkraut Soup

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Preparation :
To read instructions, hover over pictures
To enlarge pictures and read instructions, click on pictures

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: Hengstenberg from Germany – one of my favorites

: thick slices of smoked, cooked ham hocks

: 12 oz diced raw potatoes, 10 oz diced ham hocks (Or substitute with other smoked meat or smoked fish)

: in 4 oz bacon fat saute 1 large sliced onion until translucent, add 20 oz drained, rinsed sauerkraut, add 1/2 cup a/p flour, saute 5 minutes more

: add 2 qt pork stock (or substitute with other good stock at hand, bring to a simmer, simmer for 20 minutes, if necessary, adjust texture of soup during this time

: add the cooked ham hocks and the raw potatoes, season with kosher salt, cayenne pepper and a dash of maggi, bring to a simmer again, simmer for 20 minutes or until potatoes are soft but not mushy: if necessary, adjust texture of soup during this time

: when the potatoes are almost done, add heavy cream to your preference; I personally like my sauerkraut soup very creamy, but this is a matter of personal preference, so follow your taste

: let the soup come to a light simmer, check/adjust seasoning; serves 4 main course or 10/12 appetizer

: Sauerkraut Soup

: Sauerkraut Soup

: Sauerkraut Soup

: Sauerkraut Soup

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Tuna Steak Poached In Olive Oil

My friend Peter came over for lunch today. Usually, he is a big fan of down to earth home cooking, never getting enough meatloaf, pasta, potatoes, stews, pigs feet, tripe, and other offal.
However, right now he is on a strict diet, so he asked me to prepare something gluten-free, starch-free and sugar-free. This tuna steak with salad was the result of his request, which made him happy and content (or so he said).
I, on the other hand, feasted on some left-over pork belly with potatoes, which made me happy and content 🙂
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Bon Appétit ! Life is Good !
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1 cup EVO, 2 ea garlic confit, 2 ea scallion, kosher salt and fresh-cracked pepper to taste

5 ea grape tomatoes, 1 ea quintisho chile, 3 slices lemon; simmer slowly on low heat while basting with the oil until tuna is cooked to your preferred temperature; serve with a salad of your choice

Tuna Steak Poached In Olive Oil

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Pig’s Feet Souse ( Love It Or Hate It )

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Pig’s feet are not everybody’s cup of tea, but for those of us who love them, they are a special treat.
I prepare them quite often, in stews, steamed, braised, Asian style, Latin style, German style; any way is fine with me 🙂
The following dish is Caribbean Style Souse, as I enjoyed it many moon’s ago a couple of times in Trinidad, at the home of my friend Lyron’s mother.
Very spicy and lightly acidic, with lots of vegetables, it was the perfect food on a hot day by the beach, spend in wonderful company and washed down with a few bottles of Carib Beer – nothing else was needed in those moments to feel happy and content 🙂
These meals (and times) are now in the distant past; all that’s left are the happy memories, vividly recalled by preparing the meals we enjoyed together then – Lyron and his wife Dorsey, my wife Maria, myself and Lyron’s mother, whose name eludes me after all these years but whom I always remember when preparing this particular souse………….
>
Bon Appétit ! Life is Good !
>
>
Click here for more Souse on Chefsopinion
>
Click here for Escabeche on ChefsOpinion
>
Click here for more Pigs Feet on ChefsOpinion
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Pig’s Feet Souse

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Preparation :
To read instructions, hover over pictures
To enlarge pictures and read instructions, click on pictures
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: cut 1 large cucumber, 1 bunch chives, 2 large carrots, type and quantity of chilies of your choice, 5 ea red radishes, 1 large onion; make a dressing of 1 cup water, 4 small bay leaves, 1/2 cup white balsamic vinegar, kosher salt, grated ginger, maggi seasoning and garlic paste to taste, mix all except the carrots and bay leaves, set aside

: rinse 4 lbs pigs feet , cut into large pieces, cover with cold water, season with 1 cup white balsamic vinegar (or vinegar of your choice), 2 tplsp garlic paste, kosher salt and hot sauce to taste, simmer until tender but not falling apart, about two hours, add the sliced carrots and bay leaves, let cool to room temperature; drain the broth, add the vegetables with the dressing and serve either cold, at room temperature or hot; serves 4