As you have noticed by now, I love to cook and eat Andouille sausage. There is another Louisiana sausage that I love to use and eat, Boudin. It is not, however, a traditional sausage.
Boudin is a sausage made with pork or seafood and rice. Since it is mostly made of rice, it is a great way for Cajuns to feed a large family with little meat. Boudin can be found in grocery stores across the nation. It seems that the stores in Searcy each carry a different variety. I have tried them all and they are all good. Try them all and I am sure you will find one you like.
The first two recipes are appetizers. You can find them on many menus in Cajun Country. Fried Boudin Balls also can be found in many convenience stores. It is a take on the Italian Arancini, which is stuffed rice balls, often using a sauce and cheese with the rice.
Fried Boudin Balls
1 package Boudin 2 cups Corn Flour 1/8 teaspoon dried Thyme 1/8 teaspoon dried Basil 1/8 teaspoon dried Marjoram Creole Seasoning
Preheat Deep Fryer to 375℉. Season corn flour with thyme, basil and marjoram. Cut the Boudin into 2-inch pieces and roll them in a ball. Roll in corn flour mixture, shaking off the excess. Fry for 3-4 minutes or until golden brown. Drain on a paper towel lined plate and sprinkle with Creole Seasoning before serving.
Serve with Creole Mustard or Remoulade Sauce for dipping.
The first time I ate a Boudin Egg Roll was at the Main Street Food Truck Festival in Little Rock. I was in line waiting to order some Boudin Balls. When I arrived at the window to order, they were sold out. They suggested the Egg Rolls. Skeptical but always willing to try new things, I ordered them. I was glad that I did. The flakiness of the egg roll wrapper gave a different taste to the Boudin. The Egg Roll did not have the heaviness of Boudin dredged in flour then fried. I eat them more that Boudin Balls now.
Boudin Egg Rolls
Boudin cooked then cooled 10 Egg Roll Wrappers
Preheat Deep Fryer to 350℉.
Place 2 tablespoons of Boudin in the egg roll wrapper. Fry until all sides are golden brown. To roll the egg roll 1) Place the wrapper in a diamond position 2) Put Boudin in wrapper 3) Roll the bottom point oven the Boudin 4) Fold over each of the sides over the Boudin 5) Wet the top point of the wrapper and finish rolling the egg roll.
Serve with Creole Mustard or Remoulade Sauce for dipping.
Of course, Boudin makes a great stuffing. It is also the easiest one to make. All you have to do is remove the casing and stuff whatever item you are cooking. Boudin Stuffing adds a “Cajun Gourmet” twist to you meal.
Boudin Stuffed Pork Loin
4 boneless pork butterfly loins 1/2 to 1 pound pork boudin for stuffing 1/4 cup green onions, chopped Creole Seasoning to taste 1/8 cup cooking oil
Preheat oven to 350℉. Pound pork loins between wax paper to about 3/8″ thick and season with Creole Seasoning. Lay the pork loins end to end overlapping each one about 1/3 onto the other. Remove boudin from casing and spread down the center of the loins. Layer green onions on top of the boudin. Bring one side of loins up and over boudin then bring up other side of loin and pin with toothpicks to form a roll. Bring up sides and pin to seal in boudin. Pour oil into dish and place the rolled up loin into the glass baking dish and bake for 60 to 75 minutes. Let the meat rest 10 minutes, slice in one inch slices and serve. For a simple Au Jus add a small amount of water to the drippings and cook for 5 minutes on top of stove.
Boudin does not need an ingredient in a recipe. It taste great as a meal or as a side dish. My only wish is that I could find Crawfish Boudin locally. Fortunately, Boudin freezes well so I bring some back from New Orleans when I visit.
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