Savory Pork and Chestnut Patties

By corlear

Even yen if you have never traveled to Burgundy, a mere glance at the recipes in this book would be enough to reveal to you that pork and its by-products are a major cornerstone of Burgundian cooking. In fact, whenever I’m feeling overloaded by the never-ending barrage of foods-to-fear that the North American media relishes in reporting on, I delight in seeking comic relief by browsing through Burgundian cookbooks, many of which unabashedly begin with recipes for soupe au lard or brioche aux grattons (egg- and butter-rich dough studded with crispy fried pieces of pork or duck fat).

The savory patties featured here, known as crepinettes in Burgundy, are a fairly typical hors d’oeuvre, though I make mine considerably less fatty than the traditional recipes. The minced chestnuts make for an interesting combination with the ground pork and remind me of favored flavors that go into my Thanksgiving turkey stuffing. Peeled cooked chestnuts are available canned in specialty food stores, if you don’t wish to go through the labor of peeling your own.

The patties are delicious sautéed crisp and served warm. Since they are a three-or-four-bite hors d’oeuvre, little plates and forks may be in order. Sometimes I slice the leftovers cold and serve them like pâté with a dab of sharp Dijon mustard on rounds of French bread.

Ingredients

• 1 pound lean ground pork
• 1/2 pound peeled cooled chesmuts, minced
• 2 shallots, minced
• 1/3 cup minced fresh parsley
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 3/4 teaspoon sea or coarse salt
• 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 large egg
• 1 1/2 tablespoons marc de Bourgogne or brandy
• 8 slices bacon
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Details

Servings 8

Preparation

Step 1

1. Place the pork and chestnuts together in a food processor and process until well combined. Add the shallots, parsley, coriander, salt, and pepper and process to incorporate. Transfer the mixture to a mixing bowl. In a small bowl, beat the egg and marc together and then knead the mixture into the pork to moisten and bind.

2. Cut the bacon strips in half horizontally and then cut each strip in half again lengthwise. Form the pork mixture into 16 balls about the size of a small egg and then flatten them between your palms to make squat patties. Cross two strips of bacon over each patty to form an X on the top, wrapping the ends under the patty to form another X on the bottom. Press gently to make the bacon adhere to the patties.

3. Heat the butter and oil together in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté the patties, in batches if necessary, until browned and crisped on each side and thoroughly cooked through the center, about 15 minutes total cooking time. Transfer the patties to a plate lined with paper towels to drain. Then, arrange on a serving platter or individual plates and serve hot or warm.