Pork and Mushroom Crépinette with Lamb-Fat Bintje Potatoes and Spiced Brussels Chips

Pan-Seared Pork and Mushroom Crépinettes

A controlled sear browns the delicate caul-fat wrapping without tearing it. An oven finish cooks the ground-pork filling evenly while keeping it juicy.

Ingredients

• 4 Fatted Calf pork and mushroom crépinettes, about 6–8 oz each
• 1 tbsp ghee

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 425°F. Gently blot the crépinettes dry without disturbing their wrapping; leave them intact and do not add salt to the already-seasoned filling.
2. Heat the ghee in a large ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Add the crépinettes seam-side down, leaving space between them; use two skillets if necessary.
3. Cook undisturbed for 4–5 minutes, until well browned underneath and the wrapping releases readily. Turn carefully with a thin spatula and brown the other side for 3–4 minutes. Reduce the heat if the rendered fat begins to smoke.
4. Transfer the skillet to the oven and cook for approximately 8–15 minutes, checking early. Insert an instant-read thermometer horizontally into the center of each crépinette and cook to 160°F.
5. Rest for 5 minutes before serving. Leave excess rendered fat in the skillet rather than pouring it over the crisp sides.

Notes

• Follow any specific cooking instructions supplied by the butcher; thickness will determine the finishing time.
• If buying an alternative, choose a pork-and-mushroom crépinette wrapped in caul fat, not a breaded pork patty.

Lamb-Fat Roasted Bintje Potatoes

A short parboil gives the potatoes tender centers before roasting. A generous layer of lamb fat and prolonged contact with hot metal produce the broad, golden crusts.

Ingredients

• 2 lb Bintje potatoes, scrubbed, skin on
• 1/3 cup rendered lamb fat
• 1 tsp fine sea salt, plus more for the boiling water
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 425°F. Halve small potatoes and cut larger ones into chunky pieces about 1½–2 inches across, keeping broad, flat cut faces.
2. Place in a saucepan, cover with cold salted water, and bring to a boil. Simmer for 7–10 minutes, until the outer edges are tender but the centers still resist a knife.
3. Drain thoroughly and let steam-dry for 5 minutes. Gently shake the colander once or twice to roughen the cut edges without breaking the potatoes.
4. Place the lamb fat in a heavy rimmed sheet pan and heat in the oven for 3–4 minutes, just until melted and hot. Carefully add the dry potatoes, season with salt and pepper, and turn to coat.
5. Arrange in one uncrowded layer with broad cut faces against the pan. Roast for 25 minutes without moving them, then turn and roast another 15–20 minutes, until deeply golden outside and completely tender inside.
6. Lift the potatoes from the fat with a slotted spatula, let excess fat drain briefly, and taste for salt.

Notes

• Yukon Gold potatoes are a practical alternative if Bintjes are unavailable.
• Use a rimmed pan rather than a flat baking sheet to contain the generous amount of hot fat.

Cumin and Coriander Brussels Chips

Separated leaves crisp much faster than whole sprouts. Light oiling and ample space let the edges blister while the thicker parts retain a little bite.

Ingredients

• 1½ lb large Brussels sprouts
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 3/4 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1/2 tsp fine sea salt

Instructions

1. Wash the sprouts and dry thoroughly. Trim the stem ends and peel away the leaves, trimming the stems again as needed to release more leaves. Reserve the tight centers for another meal.
2. Heat the oven to 425°F. Toss the leaves with the olive oil, cumin, coriander, and salt, rubbing gently so the seasoning reaches the curled surfaces.
3. Spread loosely across two sheet pans, keeping the leaves mostly in a single layer. Roast in batches if oven space is limited rather than crowding one pan.
4. Roast for 6 minutes, then gently turn and redistribute the leaves. Continue for 4–9 minutes, checking every few minutes and removing individual leaves as they become crisp.
5. Take them out when the edges are browned and brittle but the thicker green portions still have some color. Leave uncovered and serve promptly.

Notes

• Dry leaves are essential: trapped wash water makes them steam instead of crisp.
• Do not wait for every leaf to brown uniformly; the smallest leaves can burn while the larger ones finish.

Overall Timing / Workflow

The potatoes take longest and tolerate a brief wait. Cooking the Brussels leaves last preserves their delicate crunch.

Instructions

1. 0:00 — Heat the oven to 425°F, cut the potatoes, and begin parboiling them.
2. 0:10 — Drain and steam-dry the potatoes. Warm the lamb fat in the roasting pan, then coat and arrange the potatoes.
3. 0:18 — Put the potatoes in the oven. Separate and thoroughly dry the Brussels leaves while they roast.
4. 0:38 — Begin searing the crépinettes. Turn the potatoes around 0:43.
5. 0:47 — Transfer the crépinettes to the oven. Roast the first tray of Brussels leaves on another rack, allowing room for air circulation.
6. 0:57 onward — Check crépinette temperatures and remove them at 160°F. Pull crisp Brussels leaves as they finish; roast the second tray if needed.
7. 1:05–1:15 — Drain the finished potatoes, rest the crépinettes, and plate as soon as the last Brussels leaves are crisp.

Notes

• If oven space is tight, finish the potatoes first and hold them uncovered while the crépinettes and Brussels leaves cook.

Plating

Keeping the three elements beside one another protects their crusts and makes the different textures distinct.

Instructions

1. Place one rested crépinette on each warm plate.
2. Arrange the potatoes alongside with their golden cut faces visible.
3. Add a loose mound of Brussels chips beside the meat and potatoes, not beneath them. Serve immediately without covering or adding a sauce.

Leftover Path

Separate storage prevents meat juices and potato fat from softening the Brussels leaves. Dry oven heat restores more texture than a microwave.

Instructions

1. Refrigerate the components separately in covered containers within 2 hours. Use the crépinettes and potatoes within 3–4 days; the Brussels chips are best eaten the next day.
2. Reheat potatoes on a sheet pan at 400°F for 15–20 minutes, turning once, until hot and crisp.
3. Reheat crépinettes in a covered baking dish at 325°F until the center reaches 165°F, then uncover briefly if needed to dry the surface.
4. Warm Brussels leaves separately at 350°F for 3–5 minutes, watching closely. They will regain some crispness but remain more fragile than when freshly roasted.
5. Use the reserved raw sprout centers in a separate roast or thinly shave them for a salad.