Sunday, September 9, 2012

Biroldo

It's been about a year since I dabbled in blood sports. So I thought I'd try a biroldo. It's Tuscan and  decidedly sweet, studded with golden raisins, pine nuts and a hint of cinnamon. The ones they sell at the store are rubbery and uninteresting, but I had a Spanish morcilla recently and it just got me thinking about blood again. Here's how to make it: Get a pound of fresh blood. (The Lion Market here sells little containers, about 2 bucks.) Plus 1/2 pound lean pork and 1/2 pound fat. Chop the meat and fat up very fine and mix with the blood. Add 1 tbs salt and the same of sugar. Then some crushed fennel, a good pinch of instacure #1, and stir in a handful each of raisins and pine nuts. I'm going to let this cure for a couple of days, then probably poach gently. You slice it off and eat cold like that, not recooked like a black pudding. We shall see!

5 comments:

Deana Sidney said...

It does look like one of those odd snakes that have been in the news lately, I can't wait to here how it tastes. Will it go black when you cook it? No smoking???

Glenn said...

Huh. That much liquid with only a half pound of meat (and a half pound of fat, wow!) seems like it would make it a challenge to stuff.

Jeremy said...

I just had homemade boudin noir last night for dinner (a friend raised some pigs, and didn't know what to do with the blood. I volunteered).

Juana Isabella/Donna said...

Jeremy's boudin noir was very yummy :-)

Ken Albala said...

Interestingly it has gone completely black after a day in the wine fridge. I think it's the cure, just as it turns meat pink. But I'm sure it will get darker with cooking too. As for stuffing, it's more like pouring! Jeremy, what did you put in the boudins?