Boudin blanc: a gourmet holiday tradition
Boudin blanc (white pudding) is one of those sweets we look forward to every Christmas. A symbol of French gastronomy, it delights the taste buds with its many variations. The tradition of enjoying white pudding at Christmas is nothing new. At the time, people prepared a "Christmas porridge", a mixture of stuffing and milk, often based on pork or poultry. François Massialot, a famous 17th-century French chef, advised in his book Le cuisinier royal et bourgeois (1691) to concoct this porridge with a large turkey. It wasn't until the Enlightenment that they came up with the idea of putting this stuffing in a casing, giving birth to the white pudding we know today.
But by the way, do you really know what boudin blanc is made of?
At its core, boudin blanc is made from pork, sometimes mixed with veal, and even, for the more daring, fish. Its recipe combines finely chopped meat, seasoned with salt, pepper and a touch of shallot, with breadcrumbs and milk. This preparation is then embossed in pork casing, giving it its iconic shape.
The white pudding looks like white sausage from the outside / Photo chosen by monsieurdefrance.com: depositphotos.
Boudin blanc rather than white sausage
While boudin blanc is tasty on its own, it can also be embellished with additional flavors for the pleasure of connoisseurs: spices, leeks, grapes, morels, and even truffles are sometimes mixed into the stuffing. Depending on the region, it comes in a variety of specialties. The most famous is undoubtedly the boudin blanc de Rethel, but there are also: boudin blanc catalan (with eggs), boudin blanc de Toulouse, du Quercy, or à la Richelieu, where poultry replaces pork.
Boudin blanc in the kitchen
In terms of preparation, white pudding is best enjoyed simply pan-fried, but it's also delicious in the oven, accompanied by caramelized apple fruit. Like its cousin the black pudding, it goes wonderfully well with apple. It also goes very well with sautéed potatoes, cauliflower or even pasta. A la simple!
