This cold cut is based on a peasant dish that originated in Europe and has been made since the Middle Ages. Traditional versions are made with the head of the animal and go by various names such as coppa di testa, presswurst and brawn. It can be made either as a large sausage or set in a terrine. I made mine from pork offcuts, hocks and trotters – the trotters provide the gelatine content required to set the aspic. Excellent served with bread and pickles.
Combine a mix of pork trotters, pork hocks and offcuts and place them in a large stock pot. Cover with cold water and add bay leaves, halved onions, celery stalks and carrots. Add some salt and cracked black pepper but leave most of the seasoning until later. Bring to a simmer and cook for 3-4 hours until the trotters and hocks are falling apart. Remove the meat from the stock and set aside to cool. Strain the stock and return it to the stove. Simmer until it reduces by half. Meanwhile, pick all the bones and anything you don’t want from the meat and discard. Cut the meat into largish chunks and any fat and skin into much smaller pieces. Weigh the meat that’s left. When the stock is reduced, add it to the meat along with approximately 30g (1 oz) of fine sea salt for each kilo (2.2 lbs). Do this in stages, tasting as you go to make sure you don’t add too much. Keep in mind that the stock may need more salt than you think as the meat will not be very salty. Spoon the mixture into a terrine and refrigerate overnight. It’s will be ready to serve the next day.
michelle picker cooks 