Bouchée à la reine
Ingredients
- 300 gWhite chicken (small diced)
- 200 gVeal sweetbreads (blanched and trimmed)
- 200 gButton mushroom (quartered)
- 60 gUnsalted butter
- 60 gWheat flour
- 100 mlCream
- 1 pcEgg (yolk only)
- 0.5 pcCitrus limon (L.) Burm. f. (juiced)
- 1 pinchNutmeg
- 1 pinchGray sea salt
- 1 pinchWhite pepper ground
- 4 pcPuff pastry shells (ready to fill)
- 500 mlChicken broth (hot)
Method
A creamy filling where veal sweetbreads and poultry meet mushrooms. The velvety sauce generously coats the inside of a puff pastry crust that cracks under the teeth.
- 1
Blanch the sweetbreads for 5 minutes in boiling water, cool them down and remove the membrane. Dice them along with the chicken breast. The meat should be firm but remain tender.
- 2
Sauté the quartered mushrooms in a pan with a knob of butter. They should release their water and start to brown slightly.
- 3
Melt the butter, add the flour and mix (singer). Cook for 2 minutes without browning. Gradually pour in the stock while whisking until the sauce thickens and coats the spoon.
- 4
Incorporate the meats and mushrooms into the sauce. Off the heat, add the cream mixed with the egg yolk to bring shine. Add a squeeze of lemon juice and nutmeg.
- 5
Heat the pastry shells in the oven to restore their crispness. Fill generously until overflowing. Serve immediately while the pastry is perfectly dry.
Frequently asked questions
How do you get this dish right?
- Do not boil the sauce after adding the egg yolk, or it may split.
- Trim the sweetbreads well to avoid rubbery bits.
- If the sauce is too thick, thin it with a little warm stock.
How long does this dish keep?
The filling keeps for 24 hours in the fridge. Only fill the shells just before serving to prevent them from getting soggy.
