Gascon Fricandeaux
Frícandeaux, sliced and served with cornichons, onions, and whole grain mustard.
Gascon Fricandeaux is a type of cooked meatball consisting of pork, potatoes, onions, and liver. I discovered this provincial French dish on my first culinary adventure across the pond. Somewhere between the Kitchen at Camont and the Chapolard farm, I learned to reproduce my own fricandeaux - I credit my wonderful teachers, Kate Hill and Christiane Chapolard
INGREDIENTS:
1 kilo - pork meat (shoulder, belly, or cheeks with a decent amount of fat)
100 grams - blanched pork liver
100 grams - peeled and cooked potatoes
100 grams - white onion
14 grams - salt
2 grams - black pepper
caul fat, soaked in warm water
NOTE: To procure some fresh caul fat, check with your local butcher shop or slaughterhouse. If you don't have a local butcher shop, quit your job and start one!
Caul fat soaking in warm water
DIRECTIONS:
1. Grind pork meat, cooked potatoes, onion, and blanched liver in a grinder. Mix thoroughly.
2. Add salt and pepper (14 grams of salt and 2 grams of pepper per kilo of meat).
3. Mix to homogenize. The farce (meat mixture) is ready when it becomes sticky.
4. Make a ball of the farce (meat mixture), roughly 250 grams and knead with your hands to extract any air pockets.
5. Dunk the meatball in a bowl of water to keep it moist.
6. Drape caul fat over the ball then trim. Tuck excess under the ball.
7. Place meatballs in a baking dish.
8. Place a water bath in a separate pan below the baking dish.
9. Cook at 450 degrees Fahrenheit for 2 hours
10. Cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate.
11. Serve chilled.
