Fierkelsjhelli

Ingredients

Meat

• 2 kgsuckling pig — shoulder, belly and trotters
• 2pig’s trotters extra, for gelatine
• 2onions, halved
• 2carrots
• 1leek
• 3bay leaves
• 1 tbspwhite peppercorns
• 2 tbspsalt
• 200 mldry white wine
• water, to cover

To finish

• 1large bunch parsley, chopped
• 2shallots, chopped very fine
• 1 tbspwhite wine vinegar
• salt and white pepper

To serve

• vinaigrette or mustard
• boiled potatoes and rye bread

Directions

1. Wash the meat and trotters and soak them in cold water for two hours to draw out the blood, which otherwise leaves the aspic grey rather than clear.
2. Put everything in a large pot with the onion, carrot, leek, bay, peppercorns, salt and wine, cover with cold water and bring very slowly to a bare simmer. Skim the foam off thoroughly for the first twenty minutes.
3. Simmer for three to three and a half hours without ever letting it boil. The surface should barely move. A boil emulsifies the fat into the stock and gives a cloudy set — and the whole point of fierkelsjhelli is that the aspic is clear.
4. Lift the meat out and cool it enough to handle. Pick everything off the bones, discard bones, skin and gristle, and chop the meat into neat pieces.
5. Strain the stock through muslin — twice if it is not perfectly clear — and test it: chill a spoonful on a saucer for five minutes. It should set firm.
6. If it does not set, reduce it further and test again. Season the stock hard while hot and sharpen it with the vinegar, because cold jelly mutes both salt and acid badly.
7. Stir the parsley and shallot through the meat, pack it into a terrine or bowls, pour the stock over to cover, and refrigerate overnight.
8. Turn out and slice. Serve cold with a sharp vinaigrette, boiled potatoes and rye bread.

Technique

• Never boil. Every cloudy aspic is one that boiled, and clarity is the whole presentation here.
• The saucer test decides everything. Reduce until it sets on the plate.
• Add the vinegar and season while hot. A stock that tastes right hot will taste flat cold, so overshoot both.

Substitutions

• Ordinary pork shoulder and hock with extra trotters, if suckling pig is unavailable.
• A little powdered gelatine as insurance if the stock will not set.

Variations

• The German Sülze, Estonian sült and Czech tlačenka are the same family.
• Some versions set sliced carrot and hard-boiled egg in the mould for looks.

History

A Luxembourgish country dish served with vinaigrette or mustard, once made at pig-killing time.

Frequently asked questions

What is Fierkelsjhelli?

Fierkelsjhelli is a charcuterie & cured from Luxembourg: suckling pig set in its own clear aspic and sliced cold. A Luxembourgish country dish served with vinaigrette or mustard, once made at pig-killing time.

How long does Fierkelsjhelli take to make?

Fierkelsjhelli takes 45 min of preparation and 3 hours 30 minutes, plus overnight setting of cooking. The recipe makes serves 10. It is rated medium to make.

What can I substitute in Fierkelsjhelli?

Yes, within limits. Ordinary pork shoulder and hock with extra trotters, if suckling pig is unavailable. A little powdered gelatine as insurance if the stock will not set.

What is the most important thing to get right in Fierkelsjhelli?

Wash the meat and trotters and soak them in cold water for two hours to draw out the blood, which otherwise leaves the aspic grey rather than clear.