Warm panzanella salad recipe

Ingredients

• 1 pig’s head, from a scalded and scraped hog
• 1 tablespoon sea salt or kosher salt
• 2 teaspoons finely minced fresh garlic
• 1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
• 1⁄2 teaspoon crushed red chili flakes
• 1⁄2 teaspoon orange zest
• 1⁄2 teaspoon fennel seed or fennel pollen
• 1⁄2 teaspoon finely chopped rosemary

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 tablespoons finely diced pepperoni
• 1 shallot, peeled and sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, sliced
• 1 cup sourdough (or other favorite) bread, diced into 1⁄2” cubes
• 1 small or medium fennel bulb, cored, thinly sliced
• 2 medium Roma tomatoes, skinned, seeded, cut into eighths
• 2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar or white distilled vinegar
• 2 cups mustard greens, washed, trimmed, stems removed, leaves torn into bite-size pieces
• Sea salt and cracked black pepper, to taste
• Extra-virgin olive oil, to garnish (high-quality truffle oil can be used instead as an optional enhancement to this dish)
• Shaved pecorino cheese, to garnish

For Porchetta di Testa
1. Preheat oven to 450°F. Combine spices in a small bowl. Season the inside of the pork “mask” liberally. For more even cooking and an easier-to-handle product, split the mask in half lengthwise down the center. Lay in the tongue and the ears. Roll and truss or tie tightly. Wrap in foil tightly twice, twisting ends to ensure the roll is tight. Place on a raised roasting rack in a pan and cook in oven for 15 minutes. Then turn the oven down to 250°F and slow cook for 3 hours. Remove from oven and place directly into refrigerator to cool below 40°F. Once completely cooled, unwrap from foil. Cut 1⁄2 pound into 1⁄4” × 11⁄2” lardons. Use or store the rest as you wish.
To Complete
2. In a sauté pan over medium-high heat, add the olive oil. Add in the 1⁄2 pound of 1⁄4” × 1½” Porchetta pieces to render and sear for about 3 minutes. Turn the heat down to medium-low and add the pepperoni, shallots, and garlic to cook until tender and translucent, about 1 minute. Add in the bread to warm. Add in the fennel and tomato to cook until tender, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add the vinegar to deglaze for 30 seconds. Add the mustard greens to simply wilt, approximately 10 to 20 seconds. Remove mixture from heat and adjust final seasoning with sea salt and cracked black pepper. Arrange on plates. Finish with a light drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil, allowing for a few drops around the plate, and a sprinkle of shaved cheese.