| Moscow Food Co-op Recipes | |
Eurasia to Moscow: Studzienina (Zimne Nogi)
by Karon Szelwach Aronson, M.D., J.D (retired), from the June 2006 newsletter
The recipe that follows is one that doesn’t sound appealing but produces a heavenly light meat gel that can be served as an appetizer or main meal. At Easter or Xmas this gelled meat began the meal or was served as breakfast. It is a farm recipe requiring imagination and patience to produce a most delicious and nutritious mixture of protein in natural jelly from cooking the cartilage rich bones plus delectable small pieces of meat from the feet.
Smoked ham hocks, also known as ham shanks, found within the freezer section of the Co-op, can be used successfully with excellent flavor as well as fresh varieties. The Co-op variety is nitrate free and less salty than most commercial varieties and tastes superior.
My grandmother and mother made this recipe. I make it regularly for myself and closest friends including my dog, who gets to eat the soft cartilage bones left as her treat after I remove the tender meat from the bones.
I use a small portion, like two pounds of hocks and two quarts of water to a pot for one person. This is an excellent cold summer dinner when it is too hot to cook. The gel keeps several days in the refrigerator covered with plastic wrap on top so as not to lose moisture.
3 quarts of water
3 bay leaves
3 lbs of smoked ham hocks (available in the freezer section of the Coop)
3 cloves of garlic
Lemon slices
After washing the ham hocks thoroughly place them into a large pot. Cover with cold water and bring to a boil. Skim off the foam on top. Add 3 bay leaves, salt and garlic. Simmer covered for 3 ½ hours over low and medium low heat so that the meat is practically falling off the bones. Skim fat from the top of the pot with a ladle several times. Remove the meat from the bones by hand after the meat cools. Strain the liquid and reserve. Place meat back into the strained liquid and bring it back to a boil. Ladle meat and liquid into quart bowls or flat glass loaf pans with lemon slices on the bottom. Cool to room temperature then refrigerate at least 8 hours. Skim fat, if any remains, off gelled meat mixture before serving with rye bread and butter. My relatives used to sprinkle cider vinegar on the gel before eating, but I don’t because it tastes so good plain.
Karon loves to cook her old family recipes and hopes you’re willing to give them a try!
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