Crisp Fried Pig's Ears, Quince Aioli Recipe

Prepare and blanch

Rinse the pig's ears under cold water and scrub any hair or debris. Trim any uneven edges or thick cartilage if desired. Place ears in a large pot and add 2 liters (2000 ml) of cold water, white wine vinegar, bay leaves, peppercorns, smashed garlic cloves and 1 tablespoon kosher salt.

Simmer gently

Bring the pot to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Reduce to low so the liquid barely bubbles and simmer, uncovered, until the ears are tender when pierced with a knife — about 1.5 to 2 hours depending on size. Skim any foam occasionally.

Shock and dry

When tender, remove the ears with tongs and immediately transfer to an ice bath to stop cooking and firm up the texture, about 10 minutes. Drain and pat very dry with paper towels. For crisper edges, you can refrigerate uncovered for 1 hour to dry the surface further (optional).

Slice and coat

Cut each ear into strips about 1/2 inch (1–1.5 cm) wide or into bite-sized pieces. Combine all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper in a shallow bowl. Toss the cooled, dried ear pieces in the dry mixture until evenly coated, shaking off excess.

Fry until crisp

Heat neutral frying oil in a heavy-bottomed pot or deep fryer to 180°C (350°F). Fry the coated pig's ear pieces in batches (do not overcrowd) 2–4 minutes per batch until deeply golden and very crisp. Use a slotted spoon to transfer to a tray lined with paper towels. Sprinkle immediately with fine sea salt or flaky salt to taste.

Prepare quince paste

Finely dice or grate 60 g quince paste (membrillo) so it breaks up easily into the sauce. If very firm, warm it slightly in a small saucepan with a tablespoon of lemon juice to soften, then cool before adding to the emulsion.

Make the aioli (emulsion)

In a bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, Dijon mustard, grated garlic and lemon juice until combined. Very slowly, while whisking constantly, begin to drizzle in the neutral oil in a thin steady stream to build an emulsion. Continue until about 160–180 ml of oil has been incorporated and the mixture is thick. Add the extra-virgin olive oil for flavor in the final drizzle and whisk to combine. If the emulsion becomes too thick, add a teaspoon of warm water to loosen.

Finish with quince

Fold the finely chopped quince paste into the aioli and season with 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Taste and adjust acidity with a little more lemon juice if needed. Chill for at least 15 minutes to let flavors marry.

Plate the crisp fried pig's ears warm or at room temperature alongside a small bowl of quince aioli. Sprinkle the fried ears with chopped fresh parsley and additional flaky salt if desired. Serve with lemon wedges to squeeze over just before eating.