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Roast Suckling Pig
(Zharennyi Porosenok)
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Roast suckling pig is a popular main course at Russia feasts. The smaller the suckling pig the more succulent it usually is. Although usually presented whole, the pig is often more conveniently roasted in quarters as it is here.
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| What You Need: |
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A 10- to 12-pound suckling pig, the head removed and the body cut into quarters
2 tablespoons coarse salt
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup vegetable oil
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| How To Cook: |
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1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Wash the pig under cold running water and pat it thoroughly dry with paper towels. Sprinkle the flesh liberally with the coarse salt and pepper and rub them into the cavities with your fingers.
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2. With a pastry brush, coat the skin and flesh of the quarters and the head of the pig with vegetable oil. Crumple a sheet of aluminum foil into a small ball and insert it into the pig''s mouth to keep it open as it roasts. Wrap small sheets of foil around the ears, to prevent them from burning.
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3. Place the head in the center of a rack set in a shallow roasting pan and arrange the quarters skin-side up around it. Roast the pig undisturbed for 1¼ to 1½ hours, or until the skin is crisp and the juices run clear when the pig''s flesh is pierced with the tip of a sharp knife. Fifteen minutes or so before the pig is done, remove the foil from the ears to brown them slightly.
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4. Serve the pig on a bed of hot kasha, placing the head in the center with the quarters around it. Replace the foil in the mouth with a fresh apple.
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