French-Queue en Hochepot

French-Queue en Hochepot

Ingredients:
1 oxtail in 4cm (11/2 inch) segments
2 pig trotters
1 pig’s ear
1 small cabbage
6 carrots 6 turnips salt

How to cook:
1. Place the oxtail, trotters and pig’s ear in a large pan. Cover with water and bring to the boil over a moderate heat, removing the scum as it appears. Once it has boiled, lower the heat and leave to simmer for 2 hours.
2. Peel the vegetables; quarter the cabbage, removing the hard centre. Leave them to stand in a basin of cold water.
3. After 2 hours, salt the stockpot and add the vegetables to it. If there is not enough liquid, add some hot water but make sure you do not cover the vegetables. Bring back to the boil on a higher heat, then lower again and simmer for a further 2 hours until the meat and vegetables are tender.
4. When all is ready remove from the heat. Slice the ear thinly, bone the trotters and cut into small pieces. Arrange the meat and vegetables on a serving dish. The stock can be kept to be used for another dish, or it can be poured into a gravyboat and served, but be sure you skim off the fat first.
5. Accompany this springtime dish with new potatoes and grilled chipolata sausages.