Appetizers
Black Pudding Poached in Cider
Prep Time:
10 minutes
Cook Time:
20 minutes
Serves:
4
This came from my first restaurant, when I was 23, and was originally made with Calvados and apples from Normandy. We served it as a starter on Beaujolais Day. Serve with a salad of your choice, bacon lardons, croutons and a poached duck egg for a perfect late brunch. You can also strain the cooking liquor, reduce it by half and use it with roast pork.
Ingredients
- 2 links of uncooked black pudding
- 2 medium onions peeled & sliced
- 2 cloves of garlic peeled & chopped
- 50g + 50g unsalted butter
- 4 apples
- 60ml calvados or brandy
- 2 tbsp chopped parsley
- 1 x 300ml bottle of cider
- 300ml chicken or vegetable stock
- Sea salt & black pepper
Method
1 Peel, core, quarter & slice the apples.
2 Poach the black pudding in the cider & stock for about 5–7 minutes, allow to sit in the cider/stock.
3 Peel & slice the onions.
4 Peel & chop the garlic finely.
5 Meanwhile, melt half the butter over a low heat and cook the onions for 5–7 minutes, until soft. Add the garlic and cook for a further 2 minutes.
6 Add the apple. Remove the pan from the heat before adding the Calvados; never pour it directly from the bottle. Return the pan to the heat and simmer for 1–2 minutes to cook off the alcohol. Do not ignite it at home.
7 Deglaze the pan with a small ladle of poaching liquid, add the remaining butter and cook for a couple of minutes, until you have a thick sauce.
8 Top the apple & onion mix with peeled and crumbled black pudding.
9 Dress with the sauce, sprinkle with chopped parsley.
10 Serve on four warmed plates.
11 Serve with whichever salad leaves you have available. I had lambs’ lettuce with crispy bacon lardons, dressed in vinaigrette.
Bring it to your table
If this recipe has sparked an idea for a gathering, contact Andy to plan the food.
