Have you ever been in a gourmet group? I was in one once, we celebrated National Chocolate Day once a month. We skipped dinner and had three courses of homemade chocolate desserts (we were younger then). Here in the French countryside, gourmet groups are just a little bit different. Illustration by José Reis de Matos.
In our village, there are eight folks who get together every year, as my friend Françoise tells me. First they stop by a local farm, and they pick out 3 (live) fat pigs. The pigs arrive a bit later, butchered, on the doorstep of Françoise’s house, and are laid out on a big work table in her garage. The other three couples arrive, and for two full days, they gussy up those hogs. Roasts are trimmed and wrapped, ready to freeze. The large hocks are cured in salt water then hung up to dry, to make jambon cru, or raw ham. Then they make
seasoned sausages and boudain noir and boudin blanc (these are fat sausages made from 'parts', the noir with blood and the blanc without. A taste I think you must acquire in childhood, as just the smell of them will clear out a room full of expats). They also make fromage de tête, or head cheese, a terrine set in aspic and made from the pig’s head.
What a party! There are festive lunches mid-day, of course, and at the end everyone has a goodly supply of porc fermier (farm-raised pork ) in their freezer.
Another couple here has a large group of old friends who rendez-vous in Paris every year to do the same thing, but with ducks. This year they prepared 27 ducks among them. They return home with confit de carnard, foie gras, and so on.
Françoise, telling me her story, laughed as I shuddered at the mention of boudin noir. “We’re true country people here you know,” she said. And I do admire the fact that the French use every last morsel of the animals who gave their lives for the party. Still, this sometimes/almost vegetarian is happy not to been given an invite to join the gourmet groups—I think I’ll stick to chocolate.
RECIPE: Spicy Shrimp Burgers
I
didn't have the heart to do a pork recipe after all that, so let's give the pigs a rest and switch from land to sea. Le Hamburger is all the rage in France right now, especially in Paris, where the big-deal chefs are offering them. And in the states,where folks are less carnivorous, everyone seems to be experimenting beyond the cow. Shrimp burgers are popular in the south, and I've tried many recipes before coming up with this one. Also you can pretend it's summer, and they don't require a grill. For me, the secret to this recipe is using raw, crunchy veggies; if you cook the veggies first, you end up with something similar to a crab cake instead of a burger.
I tend to keep a supply of coarse homemade bread crumbs in my freezer, but you could use panko instead. Make the burgers well ahead so you can chill them. Serves 4.
For the sauce:
- 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon horseradish
- 1 tablespoon of any chopped fresh herbs, such as parsley, basil, chives, tarragon
- dash tabasco
for the burgers:
- 1 lb. (454 grams) boiled shrimp, peeled and finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons green tops of scallions, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons white bulb of scallion, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons celery, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped radishes
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped bell pepper
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley and/or fresh basil
- 1 egg, beaten
- ¾ cup homemade bread crumbs
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
- 1/4 t. cayenne pepper, or to taste
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- Flour
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
4 hamburger buns
Toppings as desired: lettuce, tomato, avocado, red onion slices
Stir together sauce ingredients and chill. Combine burger ingredients (down to flour) then shape mixture into 4 patties. Cover and chill a couple of hours or more. When ready to serve, gently roll them in flour and cook them in a cast iron skillet with hot oil for about 4 minutes on each side. Drain briefly on paper towels. Serve on hamburger buns with sauce and desired toppings.
In the Comments: Lots of praise for my step-daughter Kelly's new book, Sailing to Jessica
And to all, my warmest wishest for a happy, healthy new year—bonne année!
12 thoughts on “Partying Down with the Pigs”
I had to share this with my Gourmet group. We’ve never done the pig thing, not even close actually. The chocolate idea is appealing though : )
Bonne année to you too. Your shrimp burger sounds divine. Love the crunchy aspect of it. All you need to finish the meal is a chocolate dessert 🙂
Sam
Your spicy shrimp burger sounds delish, as does your friend’s boudin noir (especially when served with roasted apples…) I am French, but I’d still have a problem with having three pig carcasses waiting to be “dealt with” in my garage… 🙂 Françoise is a brave soul! Veronique (French Girl in Seattle)
Born in 1930 and raised on a farm in Illinois during the depression, butchering was a way of life. Head cheese, blood sausage and fried brains were common. The organ meats were consumed and pickled pig’s feet were a treat.
A smoke house was also utilized to preserve food since there were no freezers. Thank goodness for modern day technology!!
My German grandparents butchered pigs almost exactly depicted in your description and made very similar cuts of pork and sausage. Some of my family members still carry on that tradition. As a child, I never acquired that taste and actually refused to eat it. I couldn’t then and certainly never could now. Your shrimp recipe sounds wonderful and is a must try. Thank you for the recipe.
Here I am looking for a France-reminiscent recipe to serve my friend who spent a month with us in France, and along comes your spicy shrimp burger. Doesn’t sound French and will save it for another day, but it does sound great. My husband, beyond whose lips has not passed red meat for many years, did not welcome my out-loud rendition of the pig story. But I found it entertaining. While in France, I ordered many a dish I didn’t recognize with nothing but good consequences. But I, too, draw the line at boudin noir.
We’re back home in California–missing France like nobody’s business. Have not yet started your niece’s book, but it’s waiting patiently on my kindle. I’ll let you know when I finish it and will be sure to write a review as I know they’re important!
Happy New Year back to you. Catch my final (for the moment, at least) France trip post at penattheready.com.
I noticed that about Le Hamburger (as well as le cheeseburger and le club sandwich) when I was in Paris. Much to my dismay, it was everywhere! Now a shrimp burger, that sounds mighty satisfying right about now.
The smell of boudin noir will clear out a room full of ex-pats? Perfect. Great laugh.
Beef is optional for burgers. My last concoction: deer burgers. Before that: lamb burgers. BTW, deer is almost fat-free so a deer burger needs fat that stays in the burger through cooking. I tried tiny die of butter and cheese, and breadcrumbs to sop up as they melted. Final grade? B minus.
This sounds wonderful, the “piggy party,” I mean! Every March or April we buy two piglets from a farmer and raise them on our smallholding. One pig is for us and one is for my husband’s friend who we call his “piggy partner.” Dan acquires the pigs for us and also supplies the food because he lives closer to the farmer. We do all the other work, feeding, watering, retrieving when they escape from the pen, etc. Both the men get the pigs “ready to go to the butcher” in October. About two weeks later we are delivered two huge bags of meat for the freezer. We get two hams, one for Christmas and one for Easter dinner. Those hams and bacon are superb! It is a good arrangement but not as much fun as your neighbors have. Hubby would some day like to prepare them for the freezer himself. He knows how to do it, it’s just a matter of finding the time because in October, he is usually hunting elk and cutting that up himself, too. It’s awfully “meaty” around here in the Autumn! We and our neighbors are planning to do way more of this kind of food production for ourselves.
It’s as it should be and always was in our ancestors day. Fortunately we live in the country and can do it. I remember my Norwegian grandfather trying to feed me “blotklub,” a sausage made from beef blood. I didn’t like it one bit. But, it’s fascinating realizing the motivation behind all the strange things they ate back then. In a word, “survival.”
“To Much Information” for an “almost vegetarian?”
So…you can see, I never buy meat at the supermarket.
I like the recipe for shrimp burgers. I will try it although any shrimp I can get is from Thailand! That’s too far away. Imagine the fuel costs! I have to stick to trout caught at the lake up the road.
I love the shrimp burger recipe, and I’ll print it for the husband – “Chef Jim” He’s cooking chicken soup for friends with the flu. I know – he’s super great, isn’t he? Do you think maybe we could add some bacon to the shrimp burger??
I happen to be re-reading A Pig in Provence. Last night “we” butchered one nose to tail. Gag me. Although I respect and appreciate the tradition, tonight we’re having chicken thighs for dinner. Boned and skinned at the grocery store. Thank God, the next chapter is about gathering mushrooms.