A boudin is a type of homemade sausage wrapped in pork casing, cooked, then browned in fat to reheat before serving. It is usually either "white" - made with pork, soaked bread, herb, spices, and truffles-or "black"-made with pork blood, pork, onions, and spices.

This giant duck boudin is different; it is a light, peppery sausage made with duck meat that is placed in a temporary casing of boilable plastic wrap in order to keep it together while being poached (think of the wrap as a sausage skin). It is cooled, unwrapped, browned, and finished in the oven. It is particularly good with roasted chestnuts and sautéed apples.

Serves 4
Active Work: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 1 hour

1. Skin and bone the duck legs and thighs. Crack the bones and reserve for the sauce. Render fat and skin; reserve 3 tablespoons rendered fat.

2. Melt butter in small skillet over medium-high heat, add mushroom slices, and sauce until all moisture evaporates. Remove mushrooms from skillet; drain off butter and leave mushrooms to cool on a plate.

3. Trim the duck meat of all connective tissue. Grind meat and mushroom slices through the medium blade of a food chopper, or in a food processor using on-off turns, until meat and mushrooms are coarsely but evenly ground. Add salt and pepper. Mix in eggs, one at a time, then gradually beat in the chilled cream. Taste for seasoning. Mixture should be light and fluffy. Chill.

4. Brush lightly with oil a 12 x 18-inch sheet of heatproof plastic wrap (see Note 1). Spread the ground duck mixture into a 5 x 10-inch log. Roll it up into an 8-inch sausage, using the wrap as an aid as you roll. Twist ends to tighten the roll. Vacuum pack using a food saver to make the sausage water tight.

5. In a deep skillet heat until hot but not boiling enough water to cover the sausage. Poach sausage in the water 35 minutes, turning midway. Immediately drop into icy slush to cool down. Remove when cold. It will keep 2 to 3 days in its wrapping in the refrigerator.

6. Meanwhile make the sauce base. Brown bones and vegetables in 1 tablespoon of the rendered duck fat in a heavy skillet, about 10 minutes. Degrease; deglaze with red wine and reduce over high heat to a glaze. Add 3 cups boiling water, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes. Strain into a saucepan, pressing down on ingredients. Degrease juices. Bring to a boil, set saucepan half over the heat and slowly boil, skimming, until reduced to 1/2 cup, about 20 minutes. Cool uncovered, cover, and refrigerate. Can be prepared 1 day ahead up to this point.

7. 45 MINUTES BEFORE SERVING, preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Remove sausage from refrigerator and unwrap.

8. 30 MINUTES BEFORE SERVING, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons reserved duck fat in a wide, ovenproof skillet; add the cold sausage and brown on all sides, about 6 minutes. Pour off the duck fat. Place boudin in the oven to finish reheating in 20 minutes.

9. Heat butter in a second skillet and sauté the apples until soft and golden brown on all sides. Add the chestnuts and toss gently to heat through. Season with salt and pepper. Set in the oven to keep hot.

10. Meanwhile reheat the sauce base from Step 6 above in a small, heavy sauce-pan. Stir in the cream.

11. Whisk together mustard and egg yolks in a small bowl. Off the heat, combine them with the cream. Reheat slowly, whisking. Do not allow the mixture to boil. Add the lemon juice and seasonings to taste.

12. Place the sausage on a warm serving dish. Coat with the sauce. Serve at once with chestnut and apple garnish.

A Recipe from The Cooking of SouthWest France, 1 st edition
Inspired by a recipe from Lucien Vanel.
Copyright\Paula Wolfert. 1983, 1984, 2005