A boudin is also French slang for an unattractive young woman. Not relevant here.

[madbaker]

This week's Resolution Recipe: Boudin of Chicken Livers.

1/8 lb (56 g) shelled walnuts
1 1/2 tsp butter or duck fat (I used duck fat)

1/4 lb (113 g) shallots or yellow onions, roughly chopped and sauteed until soft in 4.5 tsp butter or duck fat (I used duck fat; also, I used pearl onions)
1 1/4 lb (567 g) chicken livers
1/2 lb (225 g) pork back fat

1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp white pepper
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/8 cup brandy
1 egg white

hog casings

Pulverise walnuts in a fud processor. Heat butter or fat in a skillet until foaming, add nuts, and stir constantly over medium heat until browned and nutty smelling. Remove from heat and set aside.

Grind the livers, fat, and onions through the small plate. Mix with the seasonings and stir in the walnuts. Beat the egg white until soft peaks form. Fold one third into boudin mixture, then stir in the remainder in two batches. Fill casings, tying at 4" intervals. Poach for 25 minutes. Remove, cool, and chill.

To cook, saute in butter for 15 minutes, or until golden.

What worked: The recipe describes these as a finer, more esoteric version of liverwurst. They were nice as-is; the wife liked the leftover in a sandwich.

What didn't: I vac-sealed them and poached in a water bath, but the water was a bit too hot; some of them rendered. Damn it, this would be a lot easier with 1) a sous-vide circulator and 2) better directions. Poach at what temperature?
I couldn't taste the nuts. Maybe they were too finely ground.

Will I make it again? There are two packages in the freezer currently, but I'd be willing to make more when those run out.

Comments

[kareina.livejournal.com]

Boudin is also a geology term for a thin layer of rock that has stretched and thinned in spots such that the layer winds up looking like a string of sausages...