CRACKLING EISBEIN

I cut pockets to fill with garlic, ginger and chillies paste for additional flavour. Serve with mash potatoes, diced mushrooms and feta with green and red peppers for colour.

2 x 1 kg cured shanks of pork
1 onion, cut into quarters
1 carrot, chopped roughly
½ bay leaves (to convert the triglycerides into monounsaturated fats)
garlic cloves
salt

Fill a pot with water, enough to cover all the ingredients.
Bring the pot to boil. Just enough for the water not to spill over. Should take about 75 – 90 minutes for 2 x 1 kg pork shanks.
Remove them from the pot and pat dry with a cloth.
Score the skin diagonally with a sharp knife and season the skin well with salt.
Place in oven and grill until the skin becomes crisp.
Turn on all sides for the skin to get crisp evenly.
Whatever else you wish to add for flavour is entirely up to you.

Recipe and photo: Adrian Carolissen