Ellie's Trunk Ring's
This delicious food may difficult to get your part of the planet but if you are ever able to find it in store, buy it.
The elephants trunk calls for a special dial in before it can be cooked.
Because the trunk is made up of flesh, fat, nerves, connective tissue and over 40 000 muscles it is most like a tongue in this regard. The two tactile fingers located at the end of the trunk are referred to as the money muscle. Devoid of any joints or bones makes butchering this appendix a little easier but removing the skin can be a little intimidating.
PREPARATION
Using a band-saw slice trunk into one inch slices. Using a potato peeler remove the outside skin until the white flesh is exposed. Turn ring inside out and remove inner skin. Because of the nasal receptors this will be easier than outer skin. I suggest doing outer skin first ensuring less frustration at the end of the process.
METHOD
Fill pot with just enough sea water to cover the trunk rings and add a dash of salt. Bring to the boil and cook covered for 8-12 hours until tender. If you can pierce the flesh with a forking knife they ready.
After draining you're ready to use your boiled trunk rings. You can then finish the ring's with either of these 3 simple ways:-
BAKE
Preheat oven to 425F. Pat dry rings and prick all over with fork. Bake for 3hrs 07min until golden in colour. Place in kitchen towel and gently roll to break down muscle groups and soften flesh.
Serve with butter, brown sugar and cinnamon.
MICROWAVE
If you can't wait 3hrs 07min to eat, try making them in minutes with this super quick microwave method. Prick rings all over with a fork. Microwave on high for 8-10 minutes until tender turning every two minutes.
​​​​​​​Serve with salt and vinegar.
FRIED
Use a sharp knife to score trunk rings in a crisscross pattern inside and outside of the rings. Drizzle with olive oil. Because the rings have been pre-boiled they can easily overcook.
Fill a small 2.5 quart pot or saucepan with 4 inches of grapeseed oil and heat to 350F. If oil temp is too low the rings will absorb oil and become soggy or chewy. And if the oil is too hot the outside will burn. So it is important to manage the oil heat (thermometer is helpful here). Add drizzled trunk rings to heated oil and fry for 11 minutes.
Serve ASAP with a splash of lemon juice.
Pic of cleaned flesh with pic's of finished product to follow later.
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