Recipe, and wine and food matching by François Chartier “Créateur d’harmonies”, Author of Taste buds and Molecules book.
Black pudding and coconut. . . I reckon this unexpected pairing requires you to stretch your imagination a little, right?
Yet, this is a match made in heaven.
Firstly, pork, blood pudding and coconut are all lactones-rich ingredients, a family of aromatic molecules that include said coconut, peaches and apricots, as well as in barrel-aged wines and wines that include the Roussanne grape varietal.
Secondly, the harmonic path came to me in November 2009 as I was creating a meal for Alvaro Palacios’ wines. A Molecular Biologist who was sharing the table with us that evening informed me of the following: “Following a shortage of saline during World War II, the wounded were given a solution composed of . . . coconut water!”
It turns out that coconut water has the same electrolytes as human blood. From humans to pigs, my taste buds went 1+1 and, Eureka! The aromatic path between the lactones in blood pudding and coconut was self-evident.
The result is this delirious recipe Stéphane and I have created from a seemingly odd starting point.
Note that the pudding and coconut vinaigrette is just as good cold, with just a touch of grated fresh coconut and that it can also be easily mixed with dark chocolate to become a rather intriguing avant-dessert!
To find out more on the aromatic research behind this dish, read my blog post entitled “Of saline and men . . . an unexpected aromatic inspiration!”
Ingredients
For the black pudding and coconut vinaigrette
80 ml (1/3 cup) coconut water
25 g (1 oz) fresh coconut flesh
50 g (2 oz) black pudding
5 ml (1 teaspoon) soy sauce
Salt and pepper
Nutmeg
For the black pudding crumble
125 g (1/2 cup) solid coconut oil
100 g (4 oz) black pudding
Salt and pepper
For the pork belly
1.5 litres (6 cups) water
2 teaspoons fleur de sel
50 g (2 oz) fresh coconut
450 g (1 lb) pork belly
30 ml (2 tablespoons) dark rum
1 teaspoon jasmine tea
Cooking Instructions
- Prepare the black pudding and coconut vinaigrette. Simmer the coconut water and flesh. In a food processor, combine the black pudding and soy sauce. Incorporate the liquid and mix until you reach and smooth texture. Rectify seasoning and strain. Cover and refrigerate.
- Prepare the black pudding crumble. Heat the coconut oil in a thick-bottomed saucepan. Remove the skin of the black pudding and place it in the hot oil. Using a fork, crumble the black pudding until you get pieces the size of a peanut. Gently fry those pieces for about 5 minutes. Drain the excess fat on a piece of paper towel and reserve. Salt and pepper.
- Prepare the pork belly. In a thick-bottomed saucepan, add the water, fleur de sel and coconut. Bring to a boil. Add the pork belly. Lower heat, cover and cook for about 90 minutes. Once the meat has reached the desired doneness, add the rum and jasmine tea. Cover and simmer for about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let the meat cool in the liquids.
“Liquid harmonic paths”
To reach the harmonic comfort zone with wines—given that pork, black pudding and coconut are all lactones-rich ingredients—, barrel-aged wines, whether red or white, are to be preferred—especially if they were aged on their lees with bâtonnages, which makes them richer in lactones and lactonish flavours—as well as whites with a majority of roussanne varietal, which presents aromas of coconut, apricots and peaches.
If you’re going for reds, pick warm regions or countries, wines that were barrel-aged with mature and rounded tannins, such as vintages of grenache/garnacha, as well as merlot—such as the Fronsac Chartier 2011 Chartier Créateur d’harmonies, Néac, France, whose harmony with this dish brings volume and expressiveness to this already full-bodied and perfumed Bordeaux wine!
Find the full review of Francois Chartier’s suggested wine at Chartier Fronsac 2001 wine review (or click on images below):
If you prefer a white, pick vintages from the Rhône, Languedoc and Roussillon, carafe them and serve at rather high temperature, around 14–15 º C.
Again, if you’d like to learn more on the aromatic research behind this dish, read my blog post entitled “Of saline and men . . . an unexpected aromatic inspiration!”
This guest post was written by Francois Chartier exclusively for Social Vignerons.
Learn more about our guest with our Interview Francois Chartier – Best Sommelier in the World (Grand Prix Sopexa 1994).
Please let me know your thoughts