Righteous Pork: Whole Hog 2010
Last night we assembled the team and made our annual pilgrimage to Oliveto for The Whole Hog Dinner. We immediately ordered a bottle of Prosecco and raised our glasses: no-one was sick or pregnant this year! Hooray!
The menu, as always, was filled with porcine delights that were almost as fun to discuss as to eat. The porky gluttony began with preserved meat plates: "Whole Cuts," being prosciuttos, lardo and the like; "Sweet Meats," including a divine pork liver/sour cherry pâté, and mortadella that melted sweetly on the tongue; and "Dry Cured Salumi." We also had what Rob called "The Spreadables," fantastic spicy sobressada and cured, raw sbriciolono served with piadina, a crisp and flaky pita-type bread that had been fried in lard.
We were disappointed to discover that they were out of the "Sardinian pork cheeks braised in saffron and mint; aged provolone and Red Flint corn polenta." But before we had a chance to wallow, the "Fried pork trotter with ancient Roman oenogarum" arrived. Trotters--cooked, boned, & picked, then set out on a sheet pan with the cooking liquid that becomes gelée and cut into triangles--fried in a coat of light, crisp, golden bread crumbs and served over "fermented anchovy juice." Heaven.
Can you get any better than heaven? Oh yes you can. It's called "Blood Pudding with Guru Ram Das Farm dried pear and plum mostarda and walnuts." We've had blood puddings and blood sausages over the years at these events, but this one takes the cake. The "pie spices" were toned down this time and the dish was less sweet than in the past. Perhaps it was the addition of the cooked scrap and fat. This was arguably the best dish of the whole night.
We also had "Warm antipasto of pork tongue, artichoke, and black truffles" that we only felt so-so about. We finished up the appetizer course with "Boudin blanc 'Wellington' with Barhi dates and cress." I was most intrigued by the small pieces of date that were soaked in the lovely juices of the boudin blanc after we cut the pie open. Pork and dates: made for each other. A revelation.
At this point I must backtrack just briefly. As we entered the restaurant, a woman leaned into me and said in a gravely voice, "Get the Cannelloni." It felt so perfectly cloak and dagger, the top secret tip-off for my ears only. It was time for the pasta course and we had to get the cannelloni. The description on the menu, "Cannelloni of pork, Chanterelle mushrooms, green garlic, and Fontina Val d'Aosta cheese," wasn't tempting everyone. But I had the tip! The tip! My comrades indulged me and were rewarded handsomely. Beautiful on the plate and thrilling on the tongue. So I say to you, "Get the Cannelloni."
For the pasta course, we also got the "Pappardelle nere with pork heart and wild mushroom ragu." I was particularly curious about this because I've had a pig heart in my freezer for ages and have no idea what to do with it. The pasta was good, the heart tasted fine--I actually sort of forgot I was eating heart--but there were no fireworks for us on this one. At least I know what to with that little lump in my freezer now.
As I'm sure you'll understand, we were beginning to feel a little full. Heaviness & tipsiness were getting quite comfortably settled. But we would not give in. Entrées! Onward! Again, I prevailed upon my cohorts to indulge my curiosity and get the last order of Zampone. I've wanted to make cotechino for some time and eventually my own zampone. So again, they gracefully conceded to my exuberant demands. Texturally, there was a nice balance between the pig leg casing and sausage inside. The cotechino was coarse, even ever-so-slightly dry, but it was surrounded by the most succulent saba-braised skin. Skin is very hard to cook just right. This was beautiful and smooth--no chewiness at all. We also ordered the Choucroute garni and the "Charcoal-grilled wild boar bacon chop with blood oranges and shaved vegetable salad." Though we were too full to accurately judge any of these dishes, I think we liked the bacon chop best.
You will not believe me if I tell you we had dessert. Our taste buds were comatose; brought to life only slightly by the Seville orange ice cream with kumquat-pomegranate compôte served in a larded "cone." (I had to pay attention to this because I have a bag of Seville oranges on my countertop, with which I was going to make marmalade. Now, though, I think they have ice cream written all over them.)
So, yeah, that's it. Another Hog bites the dust.
And I'll be eating grapefruit all week.
PS Kudos to Shane, our unflappable server, who kept us informed, happy, and somewhat in control.
Comments [1]