Cotechino is a large pork sausage that gets its name from the rind (cotica) that is an important ingredient in the mix. Our Cotechino comes from Carlo Pieri in Tuscany and is rich with nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon, red wine, garlic and a high percentage of cotica which, when cooked, gives it a texture quite unlike the ubiquitous, foil wrapped versions that are sold as cotechino elsewhere. In the past rind made up 50% of the ingredients but changing eating habits mean that these industrial cotechino will contain very little at all. Carlo's is 25% rind and needs a minimum of 90 minutes on a slow simmer because of it. One cotechino is enough for 4 people

Italians traditionally eat cotechino with lentils and salsa verde or giardiniera vegetables on New Year’s Eve after midnight. The lentils, looking like small coins, represent good fortune and prosperity for the year to come.

INGREDIENTS

Pork, salt, sugar, garlic, cinnamon, nutmeg, red wine, saltpetre, ascorbic acid (vitamin C) E250

Read about the producer here

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS

Remove cotechino from vacuum pack and add to a pot of cold water

Throw in a few aromatics such as bay, celery, carrot and onion

Bring to the boil and cook on a very low simmer heat for at least 90mins

20 minutes before the cotechino is ready, remove some of the aromatic water and boil lentils in it until soft

Strain both the cotechino and the lentils

Slice the cotechino and serve on a bed of lentils with a generous amount of salsa verde. Giardiniera pickles are also a good fit to cut through the fat.

We send out online orders once a month on the last Wednesday of each month.

Christmas

Cotechino. Minimum Weight 475g