Panzanella with Crispy Pig’s Ear
I’m an ear man—if we’re talking pig. Crispy pig’s ears are gelatinous, cartilaginous, rich, chewy goodness that make an awfully lovely garnish for a fresh panzanella bursting with summer vegetables. You’ll want to allow about half an ear per person, which should amount to about a pound, depending on the pigs, of course. As with many of the best cuts of the pig, it takes a while to get ears into a perfect state for eating. You can boil them, but to get them perfectly tender and ready for frying, I like to poach them in oil first. You need to plan ahead—they take about six hours in a slow oven—but you could do that the day before, or even in the evening when it’s cooler out, then finish them off the day you’re going to serve them.
When you fry pig’s ears, use a covered fryer if you have one. If you don’t, stand back, I mean way back, or better yet, go have a glass of wine in the other room while they cook. They pop and sputter like crazy. Yes, you’ll have to clean the kitchen floor when you’re done, but once you’re chewing that ear, I promise you, you won’t mind.
