Black Soup

Method

1. Scrub 1 split pig's trotter under cold running water, singeing off any bristles over a gas flame or with a blowtorch and scraping the skin clean with a knife.
2. Put the trotter in a deep pot, cover generously with cold water and bring to a rolling boil. Boil hard for 5 minutes, then drain, rinse the trotter and the pot of all grey scum, and wipe the pot out.
3. Return the trotter to the clean pot with 1 litre of fresh cold water, 1 bay leaf and 1 sprig of thyme. Bring just to the boil, then drop the heat so the surface barely trembles and simmer uncovered for 3 hours, skimming now and then and topping up with hot water if the trotter is not covered. It is done when the skin is translucent and the meat falls from the bone.
4. Lift the trotter onto a board and leave until you can handle it. Strip off the meat, skin and soft cartilage, discard the bones, and chop everything into rough 1 cm pieces. Strain the broth, discard the herbs, and skim off all but a thin film of fat — the blood will supply the body.