Crubeans, well for those of you that dont know this is boiled battered pigs feet or trotters. Crubeans way back when was a big thing here in ireland. Served at the bar as a snack, imagine now going into a bar and being served pigs trotters instead of your spicey chicken wings or breaded mushrooms. Would i eat them yes i would.....
My good friend Liz has fond memories of this irish dish, after moving to Ireland from England she looked forward to the rose of Tralee festival and she remembers stalls serving crubeans. Sadly this tradition has all but gone. But pigs trotters are making a comeback, in top restaurants in America such as Hakata TonTon, (a Japanese restaurant)
Where i grew up they were just known as pigs feet and not everyone's cuppa T. I personally love them, and use them often in veg soup exactly how nana did. On cold days like today i like nothing more than a nice bowl of hot spicey soup, There is nothing fancy about this soup, just veg and herbs and Pigs trotters and if you hate the idea of feet (lol) in your soup then try some really nice smoked bacon. Mandy hated pigs feet and popa wasnt really a fan of soup. But like i was saying, there really is nothing fancy about this soup. Ive put in a lot of veg. Carrots celery onion pumpkin turnip cabbage and potatoes. I used a tin of green lentils for some added texture and thickness. Parsley thyme and chilli. I basically fried the onion and carrots and celery then added all the other veg. Filled with water and added herbs and put in the pigs trotters, (i know i can tell your face is going yuk) If you dont want to eat feet then just take them out of the soup before blending trust me this is flavour you wont get anywhere in a bottle or stock cube.
Growing up my pops raised pigs, every morning early u would hear them screaming for their food and pops would be up early to give it to them. We gave a hand feeding but mostly stayed away, we were more interested in running wild around the fields and climbing the massive acorn tree at the bottom of the hill. "i will race you there" lol. We grew up in a time where freedom was a given nothing to be afraid of, go to bed with windows opened and doors unlocked.
Anyways im getting distracted.... back to the soup....
Watching nana make this from popas chair in the corner as she effortlessly made soup and cleaned always with a dish towel in her hand, which would more than likely end up in the freezer when she went to get something out and have us looking for it for a half hour before she realises and then she would just laugh, that jolly laugh 😂😂😂
Nanas soup had split chick peas which she soaked overnight, this is what made the soup thick she didnt blend it, it cooked for hours and at which point everything had broken down into this Delicious chunky soup. The veg came from the garden just outside that pops grew. I remember watching him dig up the potatoes and rubbing the dirt of them with such a proud look on his face "good turn out this year " he would say. After every veg was picked or dug up, he would prepare the ground for the next planting. Alot of work for a man who did all this on his own to provide for his family and fellow islanders, and not a complaint out of him.
Sooo if you are not a fan of pigs trotters try this soup with some smoked bacon or salt ribs. I made a big pot full and have frozen the rest for a raining day which will probably be tomorrow or later today 🙄🙄🙄😂😂
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