Boudin
Ingredients:
2 pounds pork shoulder, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 stalk of celery, diced
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 bell pepper, seeds and stem removed, chopped
1/2 pound chicken livers (optional) but i like it.
2 cups cooked rice
2 jalapeños, seeds and stems removed, chopped
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon paprika
2 green onions, chopped (green part only)
1/2 cup parsley, finely chopped
Salt, black pepper and cayenne to taste
Method:
Place the pork shoulder, celery, onion, garlic and bell pepper into a large pot. Cover with 2 inches of water, bring to a boil and then turn down the heat and simmer uncovered for 1 hour. After an hour, add the chicken liver to the pot and continue to cook for 45 more minutes or until the pork is tender.
Strain the meat and vegetables, reserving the liquid. Finely dice the meat and vegetables with a knife, in a food processor or in a meat grinder set for a coarse grind. Once diced, place meat and vegetables in a bowl.
Add to the bowl the cooked rice, jalapeños, thyme, oregano, paprika, green onions and parsley. Stir in 1 cup of the reserved cooking liquid and combine until the filling is moist and slightly sticky. If it appears too dry, add more of the reserved liquid. Taste and adjust seasonings, adding salt, pepper and cayenne.
To make boudin sausage, stuff into casing (see below for instructions) and then poach in boiling water for 10 minutes.
Alternatively, you can either serve the filling as a dressing, or you can roll it into walnut-sized balls, dip into finely crushed crackers and fry in 350 degree oil for 2 minutes or until brown to make boudin balls.
Yield: about 12 sausages or 5 cups of filling
