Nilagang Baboy (Boiled Pork with Cabbage & Potatoes)

Ingredients:

6 fresh pork hocks. About 4-5 lbs. You may substitute with fresh pork ribs and or belly pork.
4 fresh whole garlic cloves-smashed, peeled, and minced fine
1 tsp black peppercorns
2 large bay leaves-ripped into quarters
1 whole white or yellow onion-peeled and quartered
3 large whole russet potatoes-peeled and quartered
1 fresh whole round head cabbage-cored, halved, and quartered
MSG to taste (optional)
fresh cracked black pepper to taste
3-5 Tbsp of patis=fish sauce=nuoc mam
pinch coarse hawaiian or kosher salt to taste
4-6 pieces of filipino sweet chili peppers (optional)
1/2 lb fresh string beans-cut into 1 inch sections (optional)

Procedure:

• Rinse pork hocks under cold running water until clear. Place pieces in a big stockpot or pressure cooker.
• Boil for 10 minutes and skim scum and foam. Drain and rinse pieces under cold running water a second time. Rinse pot clean of particles and add pieces back. Cover with clean water and bring to a boil again. If using pressure cooker, cook at optimal pressure for 10 minutes also and rinse the same way.
• Add garlic, onions, and bay leaves. Add MSG and salt.
• Bring meat to a boil then simmer until semi-tender. About 1 hour 15-30minutes. Skim foam and scum everynow and then. If pressure cooking, bring to optimal pressure and cook for a total of 30 minutes.
• While pork is cooking, prepare potatoes by peeling, cutting and soaking potatoes in cold water to prevent discoloration.
• Prepare cabbage and set aside.
• Add potatoes, cabbage and optional vegetables 5 minutes before pork reaches "off-da-bone" tenderness.
• Season to taste with the patis fish sauce.

Serves 4-6

This is my sister-in-law Cathy's favorite dish while my wife Aurora's fave is Sinigang Na Baboy. This dish is also called "Lauya" by Ilocano filipinos but has vinegar added to the taste and aroma of pork adobo.

Well this whole week it has been some kind of dish with pork hocks or in reality "pig's feet". Filipinos don't waste any part of the pig and its so apparent in all their dishes no matter the dialect or part of the Philippines. In future postings I hope to make dinuguan (tender pork in blood stew) and kare-kare (oxtail in peanut sauce stew).

The pork hocks were on sale at the Pearl Harbor NEX Commissary last week for an unheard of $0.58 per pound! I couldn't pass that up so I got four cryovac packs for us! A super great deal for fresh hocks!

Enjoy! Time fo kaukau!! :)