Food Pages

Prepare one day ahead: Singe pig skin: hold the skin of the pig's feet over the flame of a gas stove, hibachi, or over the electric stove coil until skin is burnt. Scrape off burnt areas and wash thoroughly.
Pre-boil pig's feet: cover meat with water and bring to a rolling boil, drain and rinse. Add 5 cups of water to pig's feet and boil for 10 minutes over high heat. Lower to medium heat, add ginger after 15 minutes, cook for about 30 minutes more until pig is tender and can be easily pierced. Remove pig's feet and refrigerate until next day. Chill stock, and then remove fat. Do not remove gelatin.
On the following day: Wash nishimi kubu to remove any sand or salt, tie knots loosely 3 inches apart, cut between the knots.
Soak the shiitake for about 30 minutes in warm water with a pinch of sugar, drain liquid and set aside for stock. Cut shiitake into quarters.
Peel daikon and cut into large chunks.
Combine shiitake liquid and stock to equal 7 cups, add pig's feet, nishimi kubu, shiitake, and daikon, cook 10 minutes. Add seasoning, cover and simmer for 1 hour, gently stirring 2-3 times.
Just before serving, add mustard cabbage cut into 2-inch lengths.

Note: Togan and watercress may also be used. Grated ginger may be served as optional condiment.


ASHITIBICHI (Pig's Feet Soup)
2 to 3 lbs. foreleg of pig, pre-cut 5 cups water 2 strips nishimi kubu (nishime konbu) 6 medium shiitake 5 medium daikon (turnip) 1 thumb-size piece ginger, sliced 1 small bunch mustard cabbage, parboiled ¼ cup shoyu or miso 1 tsp. Hawaiian or coarse salt 2 Tbsp. sake

Prepare one day ahead: Singe pig skin: hold the skin of the pig's feet over the flame of a gas stove, hibachi, or over the electric stove coil until skin is burnt. Scrape off burnt areas and wash thoroughly. Pre-boil pig's feet: cover meat with water and bring to a rolling boil, drain and rinse. Add 5 cups of water to pig's feet and boil for 10 minutes over high heat. Lower to medium heat, add ginger after 15 minutes, cook for about 30 minutes more until pig is tender and can be easily pierced. Remove pig's feet and refrigerate until next day. Chill stock, and then remove fat. Do not remove gelatin. On the following day: Wash nishimi kubu to remove any sand or salt, tie knots loosely 3 inches apart, cut between the knots. Soak the shiitake for about 30 minutes in warm water with a pinch of sugar, drain liquid and set aside for stock. Cut shiitake into quarters. Peel daikon and cut into large chunks. Combine shiitake liquid and stock to equal 7 cups, add pig's feet, nishimi kubu, shiitake, and daikon, cook 10 minutes. Add seasoning, cover and simmer for 1 hour, gently stirring 2-3 times. Just before serving, add mustard cabbage cut into 2-inch lengths. Note: Togan and watercress may also be used. Grated ginger may be served as optional condiment.