Normally, the phrase “à la Genevoise” implies a white dish with fish in it.
Here, it just means Geneva style. The dish is based on pork, and comes out dark, from red wine and pork blood in it.
It uses cubed pork (along with vegetables of your choice), all of which have been marinated for 3 or 4 days. The marinade is a light red wine (Gamay de Geneve) mixed with garlic, bay leaves, thyme, sage, cloves, and peppercorns.
To cook, the meat is removed from the marinade. The marinade is boiled and reduced by 1/3, then strained and set aside (any vegetables in the marinade are discarded.)
The meat is then heated without browning in a casserole, a few portions at a time. Then all the meat is put back in the casserole, along with some flour, stirred for a minute or two to cook the flour, then enough of the reduced marinade is added to cover the meat. Then the mixture is covered and simmered for about 50 minutes.
The meat is then removed from the sauce. The sauce is thickened with cream, reduced a little bit more, seasoned with salt, pepper and marjoram. Then it’s taken off the heat, and the pork blood dripped in, stirring all the time. Then it’s put back on the fire over a gentle heat without allowing it to boil (or the blood will coagulate.) Then the meat is added back in, heated through and served with mashed potatoes or dauphin potatoes.
If blood, fresh or frozen can’t be obtained, then a substitute to approximate the taste is often done by puréeing pork liver, and stirring that into the sauce.
The dish is even listed in the Swiss Army cook’s manual.
History Notes
Fricassée de Porc à la Genevoise was traditionally made in late fall, around November and December, as the pigs were slaughtered, making the blood available.
Language Notes
Genevoise means “Geneva Style.”