Taste the stuffed poitevin

The origins of stuffed Poitevin

It’s difficult to say when the farci poitevin dates back as it seems to come from time immemorial. However, it seems present in the countryside from the 19th century^rd century.

Where does its name come from?

To the west of Poitou, this typical savory specialty has always been called “far”. The term "stuffed" seems to have appeared in southern Vienne before spreading to a very large part of the region. Thus, it designates, as elsewhere in France, a mixture of various ingredients intended to garnish a vegetable.

Note that the terms "vegetable pâté" or "herb" or "green terrine" refer to the same dish. This specialty is essentially made up of green leafy vegetables or aromatic herbs.

How was he born?

Like other savory dishes, farci poitevin is a country specialty. Considered the dish of the poor, it used to allow you to use all the leftover meat from previous days, mixing it with herbs and green vegetables from the garden. We garnished cabbage leaves that we plunged into the broth of a hen in the pot or a hotpot to cook it. It is therefore a avant-garde zero waste dish!
Despite its simple and inexpensive image, it often brightened up large tables at important family events. Convivial and comforting, it was also on the menu of harvest meal in autumn.

Poitevin stuffed recipe

Like all traditional peasant dishes, the recipe for farci poitevin is not set in stone. The idea being to use leftover meat, combined with the vegetables and herbs available, components and proportions may vary. We can therefore consider that there are as many recipes as there are cooks. And even more likely! Many indeed modify the preparation according to what they have on hand when they are in the kitchen.

The ingredients and the process of the traditional recipe

Here is a recipe for tasty Poitevin stuffing which you can draw inspiration from. Do not hesitate to adapt the ingredients and the quantities according to your tastes and the season. Your recipe will only be better!

   • Blanch 7 to 8 kale leaves for a few minutes. Set them aside after gently removing the tough part of the ribs.
   • After having washed and chopped 500 g of spinach, the greens of a bunch of Swiss chard and 4 leeks, brown them over medium heat in butter
   • Slice and brown 1 white onion, 2 shallots and 2 cloves of garlic, with 200 g of fresh pork belly, cut into large lardons
   • Cut 200 g of smoked bacon into lardons
   • Mix everything in a large salad bowl. Add 3 eggs, 2 tablespoons of flour and 20 cl of heavy cream. Season to your liking.

The cooking technique

The cooking technique for this green terrine is very special. It is very important and brings freshness and suppleness to the dish. If it looks tricky on paper, don't worry, the process isn't that complicated.

   • In the absence of a special net, just take a large dish towel and spread it in a colander or a well-rounded bowl
   • Then line the tea towel with blanched cabbage leaves, taking care to overlap them well.
   • Pour the preparation into the salad bowl and close with cabbage leaves
   • Fold the tea towel and tie it with a roasting twine, tightening well
   • Immerse the stuffed in a broth for 4 hours
   • Once the cooking is finished, remove it from the broth

If you want it eat hot, invite everyone to the table! If you prefer eat it cold, wait a bit before placing it in the refrigerator and taking it out the next day.
If you are in a hurry, you can place the preparation in a gratin dish and cook it in the oven for 30 to 40 minutes. You thus obtain a variant called the Charentais stuffed.

How to eat stuffed poitevin?

This delicious vegetable terrine is very practical, because it can be cooked in advance and can be eaten in several ways. But if you don't want to go into the kitchen, don't worry, you can find them all over the department.

Where to buy it?

If you want to take full advantage of your moment of tasting, do not hesitate to stop in a restaurant offering herb pâté on its menu. You will thus take the time to savor it in the best conditions.

To eat it at home, you will find it, sold by the slice, at most butchers or caterers in the Vienne. Each having their own recipe, a small comparison is essential before selecting the terrine that will most appeal to your taste buds. A good excuse to have fun!
The Les Mets d'Aimé brands from CFP Gastronomie and UPAL also offer a version in jars, very practical on a picnic or to extend the pleasure after the holidays.

Our tasting advice

It seems that a specialty is even better if it is tasted with a wine from its territory of origin. We therefore strongly advise you to select a red wine from Haut-Poitou, fruity and slightly spicy, to bring out all the flavors of the terrine.

If you are as greedy as we are, the stuffed poitevin should delight you from the first tasting. During your visit to the region, be sure to also taste the cheese cake in Chabichou from Poitou and AOC Saumur-Nord wines Vienne. The local gastronomy is so rich that it will leave you with indelible memories!