Nonnettes de Poulet Agnès Sorel

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •12-inch ovenproof shallow sauté pan or small metal roasting pan
• •10-inch heavy skillet
• •1½-quart wide saucepan
• •Meat pounder or rolling pin and parchment
• •Kitchen string and kitchen scissors
• •Instant-read thermometer
• •Fine-mesh sieve for the foie gras purée

Instructions

1. 1

   Reduce the chicken glaze

   Reserve 2 tablespoons of the cold chicken stock for adjusting the sauce. Pour the remainder into a wide saucepan and bring it to a lively simmer, skimming any foam that rises. Reduce it to ½ cup, about 20 to 25 minutes, until its flavour is concentrated and it approaches nappant, lightly coating the back of a spoon. Do not salt it yet; reduction magnifies salt, and the foie gras will bring more at the table.

   Stock that sets softly when chilled makes the finest glaze. If yours remains watery, use a wider pan and give the reduction time rather than thickening it with flour.
2. 2

   Stiffen the quail

   Fold each boned quail into a compact oval, tucking the legs inward, and secure it with one loose loop of kitchen string. Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. When the foam is lively, add the quail and turn them through the butter for 60 to 90 seconds, just until the flesh firms and holds its shape without taking more than faint colour. Transfer them to a clean plate, let them cool for 5 minutes, and remove the temporary strings.

3. 3

   Build the Paupiettes

   Place each chicken fillet between sheets of parchment and pound it to an even ⅛ inch thickness. Pair the fillets, overlapping their long edges by about 1 inch, then tap the overlap gently with the flat side of the pounder so the two pieces adhere. Season the chicken and quail moderately, using about three-quarters of the salt. Set one quail in the middle of each paired wrapper, draw the chicken around it, and turn the seam underneath. Tie each parcel once around its waist and once from end to end so it holds a plump, rounded shape. If a seam tears, lay a thin chicken trimming over the opening, tie directly across the patch, and chill the parcel for 10 minutes. Ça se rattrape.

   Uneven chicken is the true danger. A thick patch remains underdone while a thin edge dries, so pound from the centre outward and stop before the meat becomes translucent.
4. 4

   Fry the croûtons

   Cut the bread into four squares about 3½ inches wide. Hollow a well from the centre of each square, leaving a ½ inch base and sturdy walls to hold the foie gras. Melt 4 tablespoons of butter in the skillet over medium heat, working in two batches if necessary, and fry the croûtons until every outer face is crisp and deep butter-gold, about 4 to 6 minutes. Drain them hollow-side up on a rack. They may wait while the Paupiettes roast, but do not fill them yet or the foie gras will soften the bread.

5. 5

   Roast fierce and fast

   Set a rack in the upper third of the oven and heat it to 450°F. Arrange the Paupiettes seam-side down in a shallow ovenproof sauté pan, leaving space between them. Heat 3 tablespoons of butter until it foams vigorously and just begins to turn blond, then pour it over the parcels. Roast for 14 to 18 minutes, basting once, until the chicken is burnished and a thermometer inserted into the quail at the centre registers 165°F. If the surface colours before the centre is ready, cover it loosely with foil and continue. Let the parcels rest for 3 minutes.

6. 6

   Mount the glaze

   While the Paupiettes rest, bring the reduced stock back to a bare simmer. If it is still thin, reduce it before adding any butter. Take the pan from the heat and monter au beurre, whisking in the remaining 2 tablespoons of cold butter a little at a time until the glaze shines and lightly coats a spoon. If it becomes too thick, loosen it with reserved stock. If the emulsion splits, remove it from all heat and whisk in 1 teaspoon of cold stock until it comes together. Ça se rattrape. Taste and add only as much of the remaining salt as it needs.

7. 7

   Assemble the nonnettes

   Snip away every piece of string and account for each one. Stir the foie gras purée until smooth, then spread one-quarter inside each warm croûton. Set a nonnette squarely on every croûton, coat it moderately with the light chicken glaze, and place a few drops of lemon juice on each parcel. The glaze should gleam and pool a little without drowning the fried bread. Serve at once. À table!

Chef Tips

• •Ortolan is not a shopping errand. The bird is protected, and trapping or selling it is prohibited. Small farmed quail keeps the original contrast between delicate chicken and darker game, though its larger size demands the longer roasting time given here.
• •Ask a poultry butcher for fully boned quail with the skin intact. Semi-boneless birds leave leg bones hidden inside the chicken wrapper, which makes an elegant parcel tiresome to eat.
• •Use a foie gras purée that tastes principally of foie gras, not a pork-heavy liver pâté. Softened bloc de foie gras pressed through a fine sieve gives the smooth, spreadable texture the croûton needs.
• •The stock matters more than its pedigree. Choose rich, unsalted chicken stock with enough natural gelatin to set softly when cold; reduction supplies the concentrated glaze once maintained by a saucier.
• •Pour a white Burgundy with firm acidity or a brut Champagne. Both can meet the foie gras and butter without flattening the lemon-bright finish.

Advance Preparation

• •Reduce the chicken stock up to one day ahead and chill it covered. Reheat it gently, then mount it with butter only while the Paupiettes rest.
• •The Paupiettes may be formed and tied up to 6 hours ahead. Keep them covered in the cold, then let them stand for 20 minutes before roasting so the centres are not icy.
• •Cut and hollow the croûtons earlier in the day, but fry them within an hour of serving. Fill them with foie gras only at the final assembly.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 340g)