Kholodets (Meat Aspic)

Soak the pork trotters in cold water for 2 hours, then thoroughly scrape the skin with a knife to remove any bristles and dirt, and rinse well.

Place the trotters in a pot, cover with fresh cold water, bring to a boil and cook for 5 minutes — discard this first broth, then rinse the trotters under running water.

Cover the trotters again with cold water so it sits 5–7 cm above the meat, bring to a boil, skim off the foam with a slotted spoon, and simmer over the lowest heat, covered, for 4–5 hours.

About 1.5–2 hours before the meat is done, add a whole onion, peeled carrot, bay leaf and peppercorns.

After 3 hours of cooking, add the chicken thigh — it will cook faster and give the broth a softer flavor.

Remove the cooked meat, separate it from the bones and skin, then finely chop or shred it into pieces; strain the broth through cheesecloth or a fine sieve and season with salt to taste.

Press the garlic through a garlic press and mix it with the chopped meat, then divide the mixture among molds or deep bowls.

Pour the hot strained broth over the meat, let cool to room temperature, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 6 hours until fully set.

Before serving, slice the kholodets into portions and serve with grated horseradish.