Editor's note: Chef Donald Link of New Orleans restaurants Cochon and Herbsaint, shared this recipe as part of a special Mardi Gras celebration he created for Epicurious.
Boudin, the king of Cajun food, is my favorite thing in the world to eat. It is a unique food in that it can be breakfast, lunch, dinner, a snack, or car food. Whereas most of the country might show up at a morning get-together with donuts, we show up with boudin. And no two boudins are exactly alike—that's amazing, considering they all have basically the same ingredients of rice and pork.
One of the best boudins I've had is made by my cousin Bubba Frey, who owns the Mowata General Store in the heart of the German settlement between the Link and Zaunbrecher rice fields, but all my cousins down there make their own boudin. One cousin told me that meat from the temple of the pig's head makes the best boudin, while another claims that a combination of hog jowl and shoulder meat is the secret. The truth is, they are all good.
This recipe combines elements from all of the different boudins I've eaten in my day. There's liver in it but just enough, it's nicely spiced but wont burn your mouth, and it has the perfect amount of rice.
To eat fresh, hot poached boudin, bite into the link and use your teeth and fingers to gently pull the meat out of its soft casing. (The casings are only eaten when the boudin is grilled or smoked and they become crisp.) You can also slice the boudin and tease the meat out with a fork, though utensils are not encouraged.
Some locals eat boudin with a dab of Creole mustard, a drizzle of cane syrup, a French roll, or a few crackers. But most feel that it, like a few of life's other illicit pleasures, is best enjoyed in the heat of the moment, eaten straight from the wrapper, while sitting in one's car. This is not a region known for its pretension: It is fondly said that a Cajun seven-course meal is a pound of boudin and a six-pack of beer.
