Cretons are a French Canadian savory dish made with pork and spices, traditionally served for breakfast with crusty French bread. Different spice combinations can be used, and the dish is slow-cooked until it has a porridge-like consistency. It should set for at least four hours before serving, and is typically eaten with bread, toast, or crackers.
Cretons are a French Canadian savory dish that is considered a part of Quebec cuisine. The dish, made with pork and a variety of spices, is most commonly served as a breakfast dish. Cretons are a spreadable meat dish that resembles a light version of pate. It is traditionally served with fresh, crusty French bread.
Like many traditional dishes, there are different combinations of spices and seasonings that can be used to create cretons. Traditionally, the dish was made with the fattest pieces of pork available, along with lard, milk, breadcrumbs, onions, garlic, salt, and a combination of spices such as ginger, pepper, cloves, nutmeg, and cinnamon. A modern take on the dish uses lean pork and no fat, but the rest of the ingredients are the same.
To make cretoni, first the pork is minced and combined with lard, onions and garlic in a pan. The pork and lard are slow cooked with the onion and garlic until the pork has lost its pink color and begins to cook. The spices are combined and added to the pan, followed by the milk and breadcrumbs. The cretons are cooked for several hours over low heat until the water is cooked through and the ingredients have a thick, uniform porridge-like consistency.
Once cooked, the dish should set for a minimum of four hours, although overnight is ideal. It is poured into a serving bowl or individual ramekins. Cleaning the rim of the bowl before cooling it will make the presentation more attractive during serving. The cretons should be covered with plastic wrap and then placed in the refrigerator.
Good cretons should have a creamy pate-like texture. Crusty bread, toast and crackers are all suitable accompaniments to this dish. Although this dish is traditionally eaten for breakfast, it is also suitable as an appetizer or starter.
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