Treatment and Poaching of Ham Mousselines

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •30 cm (12-inch) straight-sided sauté pan, about 6 cm (2½ inches) deep
• •4-quart saucepan
• •Two large tablespoons or an 46 cm (18-inch) piping bag with a 16 mm (⅝-inch) plain or star tip
• •Instant-read thermometer
• •Digital kitchen scale
• •Broad slotted spoon or thin fish slice

Instructions

1. 1

   Chill and prepare

   Keep the prepared ham mousseline forcemeat in the cold until it is firm enough to hold the trace of a spoon. Butter the bottom and lower sides of a 30 cm (12-inch) straight-sided sauté pan generously, leaving no dry patches where the delicate mixture could catch. Divide the farce into eight equal 75 g portions, returning them to the cold if they soften while you work.

   Temperature is your first binder. If the farce slumps instead of holding a ridge, stop and chill it for 15 minutes. Ça se rattrape. Do not add flour, crumbs, or another egg, because each would change the mousseline rather than repair it.
2. 2

   Shape the mousselines

   For spoon moulding, use two large spoons dipped briefly in cold water to form each portion into a smooth, high oval, placing it directly in the buttered pan. For piping, fit a sturdy bag with a 16 mm (⅝-inch) plain or star tip and pipe eight upright mounds, twisting slightly at the base and lifting cleanly to leave either a smooth or grooved peak. Use the finished Ordinary Meringue (No. 2382) only as the source intends, a visual model for height and contour, never as part of the ham mixture. Leave at least 2.5 cm (1 inch) between the mousselines.

   If a piped mound spreads, scrape it back into the bag without fuss, chill the mixture and bag until firm, then pipe again. Warm farce cannot be persuaded into shape by prettier piping.
3. 3

   Set the decoration

   Choose either the ham or truffle decoration. Lay one or two small lozenges, crescents, or discs on each mousseline and press only enough to make them adhere without flattening the mound. Keep the shapes small and paper-thin so they follow the curve as the mousseline swells. If a decoration slides, blot its underside dry, chill the pan for 5 minutes, and press it back onto the cold surface.

4. 4

   Add salted water

   Bring the water and fine sea salt to a full boil in a large saucepan, maintaining the source ratio of one-third ounce of salt per quart. Place the sauté pan over low heat, then pour the boiling salted water slowly down its inner wall, never directly over the mousselines, until they are completely covered. Slip the thermometer into the water between two shapes without touching the pan floor, and let the temperature settle at 208°F (98°C) before starting the timer.

5. 5

   Poach at 208°F

   Poach the mousselines for 18 to 20 minutes, keeping the water at a constant 208°F (98°C). The surface should barely tremble, with small bubbles gathering below rather than breaking hard across the top. Do not stir, turn, or prod the mousselines while their outer layer is setting. If the water reaches a rolling boil, lift the pan entirely from the heat until it falls back to 208°F, then return it over a lower flame. If an edge begins to feather, leave it untouched for 2 minutes so it can set before moving the pan. Ça se rattrape.

6. 6

   Drain and serve

   At 18 minutes, test one mousseline gently. It should feel resilient rather than soft, and a thin skewer inserted into the center should emerge hot and clean. If the prepared farce contains raw meat or egg, confirm a center temperature of at least 160°F (71°C). Give it the remaining 2 minutes if needed. Lift each mousseline with a broad slotted spoon, let it drain for a few seconds, and arrange two per person on a warmed platter. Serve at once, while the contours remain full and the surface is tender. À table!

Chef Tips

• •This source entry begins with prepared ham mousseline forcemeat and governs its treatment, shaping, decoration, and poaching. It does not supply the farce formula, so keep the corresponding canonical mixture whole rather than inventing another forcemeat inside this entry.
• •Ordinary Meringue (No. 2382) is a shaping reference, not an ingredient in the mousseline. Look for the same high mound, clean piping ridge, and pointed finish; sugar and meringue mixture go nowhere near the ham.
• •Keep the salinity exact: one-third ounce of salt per quart of water. For three quarts, that is one ounce, or 28 g. If your pan needs more liquid, prepare the extra water at the same ratio.
• •The book permits dry poaching in a steamer or drying stove, equipment that held a controlled service temperature. A home steamer commonly runs at a full boil and an ordinary oven dries the surface, so the measured water poach is the more faithful home equivalent.
• •No roux, reduction, emulsion, or sauce is called for in this treatment entry, and none should be invented here. Let the larger menu supply its canonical accompaniment. The mousselines themselves should taste clearly of ham and cream, with truffle only when you have chosen it.

Advance Preparation

• •The prepared ham mousseline forcemeat may be held tightly covered in the cold for up to one day. Keep parchment directly against its surface so it does not dry.
• •Cut the ham or truffle decorations earlier in the day and keep them covered and chilled. Blot them dry before placing them on the farce.
• •The mousselines may be shaped and decorated in the buttered pan up to 2 hours before poaching. Cover without touching their peaks and refrigerate; add the boiling salted water only when you are ready to cook.
• •Poaching close to service gives the finest texture. If necessary, cool leftovers promptly, refrigerate within 2 hours, and reheat once in salted water held around 180°F (82°C) until the centers reach 165°F (74°C).

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 155g)