Crispy Pig’s Ears at Hujan Locale

Hujan Locale landed in Ubud like a welcome tropical rain: refreshing its farms and fields, nourishing our bodies with nature’s bounty and capturing our hearts and souls with its found-and-foraged culinary movement. Be adventurous and try out Chef Will Meyrick‘s pig’s ears recipe from Hujan Locale!

Recipe: Chili and fennel crispy pig’s ears served with roasted chili and garlic aioli

Main ingredients:
100 grams pig’s ears
Dried pork skin
Roasted chilli and garlic aioli
Parsley, chopped as garnish
Lemon cheek

Pig’s ears brine
Ingredients:
1 kg salt
5 litres water
2 litres vinegar
10 cloves garlic, crushed
1 knob ginger approx 3 cm, peeled and crushed
20 grams black peppercorn

Pig’s ears cooking liquor
Ingredients:
2 litres chicken stock
1 tablespoon peppercorns
1 tablespoon salt
1 carrot, big cut
1 onion, big cut
1 bulb garlic, big cut
2 sprigs thyme 

Pig’s ears crumb
Ingredients:
Wheat flour
Egg yolk
Bread crumb

Dried pork skin
Ingredients:
Pork skin
Spice mix
Salt  

Spice mix
Ingredients:
10 grams fennel
10 grams coriander seeds
1 teaspoon large chilli flakes
1 small dried chilli
5 black peppercorn
1 lime, zested

Roasted chilli and garlic aioli
Ingredients:
7 large red chilli
3 bulbs garlic
100 ml olives oil
100 ml salad oil
5 egg yolks
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 lemon, juiced

Method:
Soak the pig’s ears in the brine for 4–5 hours. Braise the pig’s ears for 2 hours in cooking liquor until soft. When soft, take out the pig’s ears and hang in the chiller uncovered overnight to dry.

Cut the pig’s ears into julienne strips and toss in the flour, then egg yolks, then breadcrumbs and then deep fry until crispy.

To make the dried pork skin, first wash the pork skin and place in the pot with enough water to cover it. Bring to the boil and cook until soft. Take out and chill on flat trays then remove the excess fat. Dehydrate until dry. Heat some cooking oil, make sure it’s really hot, and then fry the dried pork skin until crispy. Take out and place on the paper towel to dry the excess oil. Sprinkle with spice mix and salt.

To make the roasted chilli and garlic aioli, smoke large red chilli and garlic until cooked. Clean smoked chilli of seeds. Squeeze out the garlic from skins. Blend both smoked chilli and garlic into a paste. Mix egg yolk, mustard, lemon juice and chilli garlic paste. Slowly add olive oil and salad oil, mix until thick. Season with salt last.

To assemble the dish, place the crispy pig’s ears and crispy pork skin on the serving plate, sprinkle with chopped parsley. Served with roasted chilli and garlic aioli and a lime cheek on the side.


Notes:
Read our review of Hujan Locale: Come Rain or Shine.
This article was first published in Exquisite Taste, February-April 2015.
Photo and recipe courtesy of Will Meyrick & Hujan Locale.