Pig's Trotters and Ears Soup Pacha

Pig's trotters and ears are reconsidered presently - the big names in cooking started preparing them in tasteful dishes and they are not perceived as peasant's food anymore. But both of these parts of the pig were included many years ago in the cuisines of many countries. So today I present you one of Bulgarian well known dishes - Supa Pacha - a soup based entirely on trotters and ears. The high quantities of gelatin included in the trotters, which thickens the soup and the cartilage of the ears, which makes you feel a bit of crunch with every bite, are really a very good match. Pacha is a thick and gelatinous, nearly lip-sticking soup which: should be eaten hot; should be accompanied by some teaspoons of minced garlic soaked into vinegar; and sprinkled with hot peppers flakes, for sure.
There is also a cold version which is absolutely delicious.

Head cheese, Pig brawn, Pacha or Sülze

It is a peasant food. Does not have to look pretty, is prepared from humble ingredients, but tastes amazing. The poor man's food has to be cheap, filling and nutritious. Low cost, high taste.

Every country has that sort of simple recipes representing the culinary traditions of the native folk. This local dishes are a nice reflection of the taste of the country and people continue preparing them like their mothers and grandmothers did. 

Have you ever heard about head cheese? No? What about pig brawn, pacha, fromage de tête or Sülze? 
Every country has an own name for this dish, but recipe is nearly the same. Parts of pig head and/or pigs trotters, boiled for hours with vegetables and spices, chopped to small pieces, cooled down and packed in a jelly. Refrigerated and served at room temperature. But also delicious served as a hot steaming soup sprinkled with hot pepper flakes and garlic-vinegar sauce. The very fact that so many countries in our industrial society still have it on their menu speaks for itself. It is good.

You have to overcome some prejudices to enjoy this dish at a full. The gelatin contained in the feet and the area behind the ears of the pig sets the brawn. The steps of preparing the dish are time-consuming and your hands will be, hmm, not very clean while you debone the hot feet and cut the ears in thin slices, but it is totally worth it. 
We enjoy Pacha with some mustard and pickled cornichons. At least once every winter.