Zampino de Modène

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •8 qt (7.6 L) nonreactive stockpot
• •Large square of unbleached muslin or a clean lint-free cotton towel
• •Kitchen twine
• •Fine metal skewer
• •Instant-read thermometer
• •1½ qt (1.4 L) heavy saucepan
• •Fine-mesh strainer

Instructions

1. 1

   Soak the zampino

   Set the zampino in a nonreactive bowl or pot and cover it generously with cold water. Refrigerate for 6 to 8 hours, changing the water once halfway through. This draws excess surface salt from the cured meat and softens the skin so it expands without tearing. Lift it out, rinse it, and dry it carefully.

2. 2

   Wrap and tie

   Prick the thickest exposed skin three or four times with a fine clean skewer, making tiny vents rather than holes large enough to release the filling. Lay the zampino on a large square of unbleached muslin or a clean lint-free cotton towel, roll it snugly, and secure the bundle with kitchen twine at 2 in (5 cm) intervals. The old instruction called for a napkin; the cloth itself is not ceremony. It supports the skin as the filling swells and contains the zampino if a small split appears.

3. 3

   Poach without boiling

   Lay the wrapped zampino in a stockpot large enough to hold it without bending. Cover it by 2 in (5 cm) with fresh cold water, then warm the pot gradually over medium-low heat. Once the water reaches 176 to 185°F (80 to 85°C), lower the heat and maintain only an occasional lazy bubble for 2½ to 3 hours. Add hot water as needed to keep the bundle submerged. It is ready when a thermometer inserted through the cut end reaches at least 160°F (71°C) and the skin yields under gentle pressure. If the bundle begins to swell sharply or the water boils, lower the heat and add a cup of cold water at the side of the pot. Do not unwrap it. Ça se rattrape.

   A hard boil throws the bundle against the pot and forces the expanding filling through the skin. Quiet water cooks the center just as surely and leaves the zampino fit to carve.
4. 4

   Make sauce madère

   During the final 30 minutes of poaching, test the cold stock. If it does not set softly when chilled, sprinkle the optional gelatin over 1 tbsp (15 ml / 15 g) of the stock and leave it for 5 minutes. Melt half the butter in a small saucepan and soften the shallot over gentle heat without coloring it. Add the remaining stock and simmer until reduced by half. Pour in the Madeira, add the bloomed gelatin if using, and reduce again until about 1 cup (240 ml / 240 g) remains and the sauce lightly naps the back of a spoon. Strain it, season with pepper and only as much salt as it needs, then whisk in the remaining cold butter off the heat. If the butter leaves oily streaks, whisk in 1 tsp (5 ml / 5 g) cold water away from the heat until the gloss returns.

5. 5

   Finish the gratin

   Bring the prepared cabbage garnish to its final bronzed state according to Gratins (No. 268), timing it for the last minutes of the poach. A home broiler is the honest equivalent of the salamander: place the dish close enough to color promptly, watch it without wandering away, and remove it when the top is deeply golden and the edges are caught mid-bubble.

6. 6

   Rest and carve

   Lift the zampino from the water by supporting the entire bundle, then set it on a rimmed tray for 10 minutes. Cut away the twine and peel back the cloth carefully. If the skin has split, leave it to rest for another 5 minutes before carving; the cloth has held the filling together, and thick slices will still serve handsomely. Cut crosswise into slices about ¾ in (2 cm) thick and overlap them on a warm platter. Spoon some sauce madère around the slices, keeping the rest in a warm sauceboat, and set the cabbage beside them. À table!

Chef Tips

• •Ask an Italian butcher for a fresh, uncooked zampone from Modena. A cotechino contains a related forcemeat, but its casing and presentation are different; pleasant as it is, it does not reproduce this entry.
• •Commercial stock is often thin because it lacks gelatin. Use one that turns softly jellied when cold, or add the small measured quantity of gelatin. The aim is body from reduction, not a sauce thickened into paste.
• •Keep the poaching water quiet enough that you can see the surface between bubbles. The clock gives you a range, but tenderness and a safe center temperature give the verdict.
• •Pour a dry Lambrusco if you want the bottle to follow the zampino home to Modena. A bright cru Beaujolais also handles the pork and cabbage beautifully at a French table.

Advance Preparation

• •Begin the 6 to 8 hour cold-water soak on the morning you plan to serve the dish. Once soaked and wrapped, the uncooked zampino may be refrigerated for up to 12 hours before poaching.
• •Prepare the cabbage garnish from Gratins (No. 268) through the stage immediately before final browning, then refrigerate it. Bring it toward room temperature while the zampino poaches so the center heats before the top colors.
• •The stock, shallot, and Madeira may be reduced earlier in the day. Reheat the reduction gently and whisk in the cold butter only just before serving.
• •Leftover zampino keeps for 3 days under refrigeration. Reheat thick slices, covered, with a spoonful of reserved poaching liquid in a 300°F (150°C) oven so the skin does not tighten.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 510g)