Kholodets (Russian Jellied Meat)

Instructions

1. Soak the trotters, shank and hock in cold water for 3 hours, changing the water once, to draw out blood. Rinse well and scrub the trotters.
2. Put the meat in a large pot, cover with cold water and bring to a boil. Boil for 10 minutes, then drain and rinse the meat and the pot to give a clear jelly.
3. Return the meat to the clean pot with the 2.5 liters of fresh cold water, onions, 1 carrot, bay leaves and peppercorns. Bring to a bare simmer, partly covered, and cook for 5 to 6 hours, skimming now and then, until the meat falls off the bones.
4. Add the salt in the last hour. Lift out the meat and strain the broth through a fine sieve. Keep the cooked carrot for decoration and skim the fat from the broth.
5. Remove the bones from the meat and discard any gristle. Shred the meat and skin with your fingers, mix with the garlic, and season the broth until it tastes slightly too salty.
6. Slice the second carrot and the cooked carrot into rounds. Pour a thin layer of broth into a 2 liter (2 quart) dish, chill for 15 minutes, then arrange the carrot and parsley on top.
7. Spread the meat evenly over the set layer and pour on the remaining broth to just cover it. Chill uncovered for 30 minutes, then cover and chill for at least 8 hours until firm.
8. Cut into squares and serve cold with horseradish or mustard.

Tips

• Season the broth until it tastes a bit too salty while hot. Chilled jelly tastes much milder, and a bland kholodets is a common mistake.
• Test the set by chilling a spoonful of broth on a cold plate. If it stays runny after 15 minutes, simmer the strained broth for 20 minutes to reduce it.