Poularde à la Dampierre

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •4-quart (4-liter) narrow saucepan
• •20-inch (50 cm) square of clean muslin or doubled cheesecloth
• •Kitchen twine
• •Instant-read thermometer
• •Six deep 2-fluid-ounce (60 ml) dariole-moulds or silicone mini-muffin moulds
• •Immersion blender with a narrow cup or small food processor
• •Fine-mesh sieve
• •9 by 13 inch (23 by 33 cm) shallow tray for the aspic
• •Wire rack set over a rimmed tray
• •Long chilled serving platter

Instructions

1. 1

   Shape the poularde

   Lay the boneless breast skin-side down and open the lobes. Butterfly only the thickest parts until the meat is an even ⅝ inch (1.5 cm) thick, taking care not to pierce the skin. Season the inside with half the salt and a quarter of the white pepper. Shape the chilled Chicken Forcemeat for Galantines, Pies and Terrines (No. 200) into a compact log along the center, then bring the breast meat around it and draw the skin snugly over the seam. If the breast will not close without straining, remove a spoonful of forcemeat; an overfilled parcel bursts before it becomes generous. Wrap the breast firmly in damp muslin or doubled cheesecloth, roll it into an even cylinder, and tie it with kitchen twine every 2 inches (5 cm).

2. 2

   Poach without boiling

   Reserve 3 cups (700 ml) of the clearest stock for the aspic. Heat the remaining stock in a narrow saucepan to 180 to 185°F (82 to 85°C), then lower in the wrapped poularde; the stock should cover it. Hold the liquid at a bare tremble for 45 to 55 minutes, turning the parcel once, until a thermometer pushed through the cloth into the forcemeat center reads 165°F (74°C). A boil tightens the breast and may force out the filling. If the stock begins to boil, lift the pot off the heat immediately and let it settle before continuing gently. Enclose the cooked parcel in a clean food-safe bag, press out the air, and chill it in ice water for 20 minutes. Refrigerate it, still wrapped, for at least 2 hours, until cold through.

3. 3

   Set the aspic

   While the poularde chills, sprinkle the 21 g gelatin over its 90 ml cold water and leave it for 5 minutes. Heat half the reserved clear stock until hot but not boiling, whisk in the bloomed gelatin until completely dissolved, then stir in the remaining reserved stock. Taste and season lightly with some of the measured salt and white pepper; cold aspic mutes seasoning. Measure 3 tablespoons (45 ml) into each of two cups for the mousses. Pour 2 cups (500 ml) into a shallow 9 by 13 inch (23 by 33 cm) tray, making a layer about ¼ inch (5 mm) deep, and pour the remaining ¾ cup plus 1 tablespoon (200 ml) into a small bowl for glazing. Refrigerate the tray and glazing portion until firmly set. If the gelatin forms threads or lumps, warm it gently and whisk until clear. Never boil it.

4. 4

   Mould the mousses

   Blend the ham with one 3-tablespoon (45 ml) portion of fluid aspic until very smooth, then rub it through a fine sieve. Repeat separately with the cooked chicken and the second portion of aspic. Whip the chilled 6 tablespoons (90 ml) cream to soft folds and divide it evenly between the two cold meat purées. Fold without beating, taste, and season the chicken mixture lightly if it needs it; the ham may need nothing. Fill three 2-fluid-ounce (60 ml) dariole-moulds with ham mousse and three with chicken mousse, tapping each mould against the counter to remove hidden gaps. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours. If either meat base sets before the cream goes in, stand its cup in barely warm water for a few seconds and stir until supple, then continue.

5. 5

   Build the chaud-froid

   Strain and degrease 1¼ cups (300 ml) of the poaching stock. Melt the butter over gentle heat, stir in the flour, and cook this roux blanc (white roux) for 2 minutes without allowing it to color. Whisk in the warm stock gradually, scraping into every corner, then simmer gently for 10 minutes. Add the remaining ½ cup (120 ml) cream and the almond milk, then simmer for another 5 minutes, until the sauce is nappant (thick enough to coat the back of a spoon). Bloom the remaining 7 g gelatin in its 45 ml cold water for 5 minutes and whisk it into the sauce off the heat. Pass the chaud-froid through a fine sieve, then stir it over an ice bath until it is cool and flows like thick cream. If it sets too far, warm the bowl over tepid water; if it remains thin, keep stirring over ice.

6. 6

   Coat the cold breast

   Unwrap the thoroughly chilled poularde, pat it dry, and trim the ends and any ragged edges into a neat elongated form. Set it on a rack over a rimmed tray. Pour a thin layer of chaud-froid from the center outward, refrigerate for 10 minutes to set it, then repeat twice until the breast is smoothly and completely ivory. Keep a few spoonfuls of sauce for repairs. If the coating slides away, either the poultry or the sauce is too warm. Scrape the sauce back into the bowl, chill the breast, bring the sauce again to thick-cream consistency, and begin once more. Ça se rattrape.

7. 7

   Glaze with aspic

   Warm the reserved bowl of aspic over tepid water only until it liquefies, then let it cool until faintly syrupy. Brush one thin, even layer over the set chaud-froid, avoiding bubbles and drips, and refrigerate the poularde for 30 minutes. If the aspic softens or pulls at the sauce, stop at once, return the breast to the refrigerator, and patch the mark with the reserved chaud-froid before trying again with cooler aspic. Leave the top undecorated; the unbroken glaze is its finish.

8. 8

   Assemble the platter

   Dip each dariole-mould in lukewarm water for 2 seconds, dry it, and turn out the mousses. Cut the sheet of aspic into neat diamonds or triangles about 1 inch (2.5 cm) wide; these are the jelly croûtons, not bread. Chop the aspic offcuts and arrange them as a low oval cushion on a long chilled platter. Set the glazed poularde on top, alternate the three ham and three chicken mousses around it, and border the rim with the aspic croûtons. Keep the platter cold until 10 minutes before serving. Slice the poularde with a knife dipped in hot water and wiped dry, giving each diner a clean slice and at least one mousse. À table!

Chef Tips

• •Ask the butcher for the entire skin-on breast from a poularde or plump roasting chicken, boned while both lobes remain joined by the skin. A poularde has more generous flesh, but careful shaping and gentle poaching matter more than the label.
• •Use clear, unsalted stock with a clean chicken flavor. A good boxed stock is an honest choice here because the added gelatin supplies the set; avoid salty concentrates, which become harsh in the sauce and aspic.
• •Choose almond milk containing almonds and water, without vanilla or sugar. It should round the chaud-froid with a quiet almond note, not announce itself as dessert.
• •The platter wants a dry, mineral white wine, such as Chablis or another restrained white Burgundy. Its acidity clears the cream, aspic, and ham without bullying the cold poultry.
• •Do not freeze the finished dish. Freezing makes the chaud-froid weep and turns the aspic brittle; keep it cold and protected from drying instead.

Advance Preparation

• •Prepare the Chicken Forcemeat for Galantines, Pies and Terrines (No. 200) as its own finished component up to one day ahead and keep it thoroughly chilled before stuffing the breast.
• •The poularde, aspic, and six mousses can all be prepared the day before serving. Keep each covered and cold, then make the chaud-froid and complete the coating once the poultry is fully chilled.
• •The entire platter may be assembled up to 12 hours ahead. Protect it with a deep cover that cannot touch the glaze, and keep it refrigerated until shortly before carving.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 750g)