flipGrilled Andouillette de Troyes with Mustard
Grilled Andouillette de Troyes with Mustard
Why this dish? The andouillette de Troyes is THE specialty of the prefecture of the Aube, Boucher's home department. On market days, village festivals, or homecomings, it is the quintessential celebratory dish of the Nogentais region — the one you grill to honor a guest.
An andouillette "drawn on a string," made from pork chitterlings, grilled until the skin turns golden and crackles, topped with a mustard and white wine sauce from Champagne. Strong, frank, generous — a dish that brings people together.
Ah, this one, my friends, is the pride of our Troyes! When a colleague came as far as Nogent, I'd grill the andouillette over live embers — it must sing and turn golden, never on low heat. A lick of mustard, a splash of our local wine in the pan, and we'd deglaze it all, scraping the bottom well. We'd sit down, clink glasses, and talk about art until nightfall. That's how we entertain at home, without fuss but with a warm heart.
- •Andouillettes de Troyes (pork chitterlings) — 1 per person (centerpiece)
- •Strong mustard — as much as you like (condiment)
- •Still white wine from Champagne — a glass (degreasing)
- •Lard — a little (cooking fat)
- •Gray shallots — a few (aromatic)
Grilled Andouillette de Troyes with Mustard
An andouillette "drawn on a string," made from pork chitterlings, grilled until the skin turns golden and crackles, topped with a mustard and white wine sauce from Champagne. Strong, frank, generous — a dish that brings people together.
Why this dish? The andouillette de Troyes is THE specialty of the prefecture of the Aube, Boucher's home department. On market days, village festivals, or homecomings, it is the quintessential celebratory dish of the Nogentais region — the one you grill to honor a guest.
Ah, this one, my friends, is the pride of our Troyes! When a colleague came as far as Nogent, I'd grill the andouillette over live embers — it must sing and turn golden, never on low heat. A lick of mustard, a splash of our local wine in the pan, and we'd deglaze it all, scraping the bottom well. We'd sit down, clink glasses, and talk about art until nightfall. That's how we entertain at home, without fuss but with a warm heart.
Ingredients (period version)
- Andouillettes de Troyes (pork chitterlings) — 1 per person (centerpiece)
- Strong mustard — as much as you like (condiment)
- Still white wine from Champagne — a glass (degreasing)
- Lard — a little (cooking fat)
- Gray shallots — a few (aromatic)
Ingredients
- Andouillettes de Troyes AAAAA — 4 (centerpiece)
- Dijon mustard — 3 tbsp (sauce)
- Dry white wine (still Champagne or Chardonnay) — 150 ml (sauce)
- Shallots — 2 (aromatic)
- Thick crème fraîche — 100 ml (binding)
- Butter — 20 g (cooking fat)
Method
- Lightly score the skin of the andouillettes and brown them in butter over medium-high heat, about 10 min, turning, until well colored.
- Keep warm; sweat the chopped shallots in the same pan.
- Deglaze with white wine, scrape up the pan juices, and reduce by half.
- Off the heat, whisk in the mustard and cream; return to low heat without boiling.
- Nappe the andouillettes with sauce and serve immediately with steamed potatoes or curly endive salad.
How it was made : The andouillette de Troyes, attested since the Middle Ages and famous as early as Boucher's time, was handmade by "drawing on a string" the rolled pork chitterlings (large intestines). It was a noble use of leftovers: nothing from the pig was wasted. It was grilled over a wood fire, with mustard as the reigning condiment.
The contemporary twist : Pair with a well-chilled Crémant de Champagne: the bubbles cut through the fermented richness of the andouillette, a flawless regional match.
Alfred Boucher · Charactorium
