If not, I’d be delighted to tell you. Why mention it? Because it’s a traditional French specialty dish sought after by all Antique Dealers when going to a twice yearly Antique and Ham Fair at the Island of Chatou.
What’s Ham got to do with Antiques you might ask? We failed to see the connection ourselves. It was our dealer friend Simon that first introduced us to the fair, and to this dish, where upon he explained that the Island of Chatou was famous for it’s porc in the 19th Century.
Jarret de Porc is nothing particularly fancy or haute cuisine, but it’s the flavor that is incomparable. The crackling is crisp and fire roasted, and the ham is tender. Larry tried to convince me that all the fat had long since disappeared in the roasting process, however, I think that was more wishful thinking than fact.
In any event, I ate the ham and the crackling. And loved every bite.
In fact, even if we don’t find anything at this fair, we’ve never been disappointed as the Jarret de Porc makes the trip worthwhile just the same.
What exactly is a Jarret de Porc? In simple terms it’s a open fire roasted hamhock. But it’s the way they roast this delicious piece that makes it irresistible to refuse. Even for confirmed calorie counters who are on strict diets.
The Roti Ancienne is the method that it’s prepared which is literally roasted the old way over an open fire on a spit. The result is pure heaven.
There is two ways, to eat Jarret de Porc. One is on a bed of ‘choucroute’ or ‘sauerkraut’ or simply with fries. The dish in the foregound was mine. Larry opted for the fries.
Either way, you take dijon mustard and smear it on the plate, either to dip the fries, or add to the hamhock for flavor.
I’ve included this photo for you to see how delicious this dinner is. I am as weight conscious as the next, but this rare treat is something I never pass up.
These are photos from the Antique Fair at Chatou, which by the way, was freezing cold.
More photos from Chatou.
