CRISPY PIG'S EAR WITH COTECHINO AND LENTIL FLAN

Serves 12 (with leftover sausage for 6)

2 x pig's ears, washed

Braise the pig's ears in chicken stock until tender (two to three hours). When tender, remove from the liquid and press; chill overnight. Shred pig's ears into one-centimetre thick pieces, then coat with flour, egg wash and mustard breadcrumbs (breadcrumbs seasoned with English mustard powder). Deep-fry as needed.

Cotechino sausage

900 g lean pork shoulder

450 g fresh pork rind, parboiled

450 g pork fat

2 teaspoons salt

½ teaspoon black pepper, crushed

¼ teaspoon dried marjoram

¼ teaspoon powdered bay leaf

¼ teaspoon powdered thyme (fresh thyme, lightly dried and blitzed)

¼ teaspoon vanilla essence

½ vanilla pod, seeds scraped out

Mince all meat, herbs and spices together. Pipe into casings - beef middles if possible or wrap between muslin cloth lined with silicone paper - and chill. Poach in water, stock or court bouillon.

Lentil flan

300 g lentilles verte du Puy (French green lentils), cooked

2 eggs

300 ml chicken stock

2 tablespoons cream

Blitz ingredients together and pass through a flat sieve. Butter flan dishes, fill them to three-quarters with the mixture and bake in a bain marie at 160°C for 30 minutes

To serve

Place the lentil flan in a bain marie in the oven for 10 minutes to heat through. Reheat the braised celery in red wine sauce and season. Quickly colour the cotechino sausage in a non-stick pan. Deep-fry the pig's ears and drain on kitchen paper, season with salt and fresh lemon juice. Place the sauce and braised celery onto a plate. Turn out the flan and place onto the bed of celery. Place the cotechino, leaning towards the flan. Finish with the pig's ears.

- Neil Jewell, Bread & Wine