Pig Ear Salad

Click to Enlarge	Pig Ear Salad China
	Serves Effort: Sched: DoAhead:	6 salad ** 1-3/4 hr Best	A crunchy Chinese style salad with interesting textures and excellent flavor. Light, but more substantial than rabbit food salads. Serve anywhere you want to separate the men from the boys - if it's a motorcycle meet call them "Hog Ears".

1
3
1
4
1
3
1/2
1/2
1/4
1/2
-----
ar

#

in
oz
#

c
t
t
T
---

Pig Ears (1)
Star Anise
Ginger fresh
Carrot
Cucumber (2)
Scallions
Plum Sauce
Salt
Pepper
Rice Vinegar
-- Garnish
Sesame seeds
toasted

Bring plenty of water to a boil and add PIG EARS. Boil for about 10 minutes, then pour out.
Slice GINGER thin.
Bring to a boil enough water to cover pig ears, add STAR ANISE, Ginger and Pig Ears. Simmer 55 minutes, then drain, keeping only the ears. Chill the ears well.
Slice Pig Ears into strips about 1/8 inch wide, cut CARROTS into narrow juliennes, peel and seed CUCUMBER (if needed) and cut into narrow strips, mix all.
Cut SCALLIONS, green part only, lengthwise into narrow slivers and mix with pig ears.
Chill the salad and mix well.
Toss salad with Plum Sauce to coat. Season with Salt, Pepper and Rice Vinegar.
Serve cool. Garnish with toasted Sesame Seeds if desired or a tiny dribble of dark Sesame Oil.

NOTES:

Pig Ears: Pig ears can be found in Philippine, Chinese, Southeast Asian and Mexican markets. For details see my Pig Ears page.
Cucumbers: Persians or similar are best and can just be sliced. If you use big green waxed blimp cukes peel and seed them and use a few ounces more to compensate.