Spicy pork burger recipe from France

The French name for this spicy pork burger recipe is Crépinette au gingembre et à la citronnelle, ginger and lemongrass crépinettes, a type of patty or burger. But don’t be fooled, this is no ordinary spicy pork burger. The recipe is from the famous Ferrandi School of Cooking in France. It’s one to take your time with, and enjoy the process of cooking something so delicious, it’s worth every ounce of effort.

Serves 4

Active time: 1 hour
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Storage: 2 days in the refrigerator

EQUIPMENT

Meat grinder + medium plate

INGREDIENTS

Crépinettes

1¼ lb. (600 g) pork shoulder (échine de porc)
7 oz. (200 g) pork fatback/lardons (lard gras)
1 onion, finely chopped
2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil
1¼ cups (300 ml) dry white wine
1 tbsp finely chopped peeled fresh ginger
1 tbsp finely chopped lemongrass
1 tbsp finely chopped fresh cilantro (coriander)
2¾ tsp (14 g) salt per 2¼ lb. (1 kg) farce (the pork stuffing mix)
3½ tsp (8 g) ground Voatsiperifery pepper per 2¼ lb. (1 kg) farce . You can also use a strong spicy pepper.
7 oz. (200 g) pork caul fat, rinsed

Wilted spinach

1¾ lb. (800 g) fresh spinach
5 tbsp (2½ oz./70 g) butter
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Sauce

3½ tbsp (50 ml) olive oil
Generous ¾ cup (200 ml) sweet soy sauce
3 tbsp (1¾ oz./50 g) butter

To serve
1 tsp (3 g) buckwheat groats (kasha)
1 oz. (30 g) baby spinach

METHOD

Preparing the crépinettes

Cut the pork shoulder and fatback into pieces and grind through the meat grinder into a bowl. In a skillet, cook the onion with the olive oil over medium-low heat until softened but not browned. Deglaze the pan with the white wine and reduce until the onions are completely soft and all the liquid has evaporated. Let cool completely, then stir into the ground meat. Add the ginger, lemongrass, cilantro, salt, and pepper and stir to combine without overmixing. Shape into 4 balls, each weighing 5¼ oz. (150 g), then flatten into disks. Cut the caul fat into 4 equal squares and wrap around the disks, enclosing them completely. Chill until cooking.

Preparing the wilted spinach

De-stem and wash the spinach leaves, then spin dry. Melt the butter in a sauté pan over medium heat, add the spinach, and cook until wilted. Season with salt and pepper and keep warm.

Cooking the crépinettes and preparing the sauce

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C/Gas Mark 4). Heat the olive oil in an oven-safe non-stick skillet over medium-high heat, add the crépinettes, and brown them on both sides. Place the pan in the oven for 8 minutes to finish cooking. Remove the crépinettes from the pan, skim the fat off the pan juices, and add the soy sauce. Bring to a boil, then stir in the butter until melted. Return the crépinettes to the pan to coat them with the sauce.

To serve

Place each crépinette over a bed of wilted spinach, sprinkle with buckwheat groats, and garnish with baby spinach leaves.

Extracted from Charcuterie: Pâtés, Terrines, Savory Pies – Recipes and Techniques From the Ferrandi School of Culinary Arts by Ferrandi Paris (Flammarion, 2023)