Poult au Morilles and a side of Fondant potatoes.
Christmas is a time for joy, celebration, and indulgence, where family and friends gather around the table to enjoy rich, festive dishes. This year, to elevate your holiday feast, Chef Patrick Albert, a Maître Cuisinier de France and the head faculty chef at Verna-based Kamaxi College of Culinary Arts (KCCA), has shared an exquisite recipe: Ballottine de Poulet au Morilles (Chicken Ballotine with Morelle Mushrooms). The traditional 18th-century French dish combines the delicate flavours of tender, boneless chicken, stuffed with a savoury filling, and the earthy richness of morel mushrooms, a prized ingredient in French haute cuisine.
Serves: 4
Ingredients
Chicken legs: 4
Mince chicken: 200 gms
Egg: 1
Four: 1 tsp
Finely chopped onion: 1
Dry morelles: 50 gms
Salt- to taste
Pepper- to taste
Chicken stock: 1 ltr
For the Sauce:
Finely chopped Onion: 1
Dry morelle mushrooms: 80 gms
Cream: 100 gms
Butter- 1 knob
Brandy- half cup
Salt- to taste
Pepper- to taste
Method:
Begin by soaking the morelle mushrooms overnight in water.
Keep the water and filter the morelle mushrooms.
Finley chop the onions and prepare the filling by mixing the minced chicken with
onion, morelle mushrooms, egg and flour.
When properly mixed, add a bit of brandy to taste.
Place the boneless chicken leg on a sheet of cling film, then add a quarter of the
filling along the centre, shaping it like a large sausage. Tie the ends securely.
Cook the chicken roulades in the chicken stock until the temperature reaches
75°C.
For the sauce, cook the onions in butter, then add the morilles and cook for a few
minutes.
Deglaze the pan with brandy and allow it to reduce. Next, add the reserved
morelles soaking liquid, followed by cream, and bring the sauce to a boil until it
thickens. Season to taste.
Once the roulades are fully cooked, remove them from the chicken stock, slice
them, and serve warm.
For the Fondant Potatoes
Ingredients
Potatoes: 8
Butter: 200 gms
Oil
Salt- to taste
Pepper- to taste
Vegetable stock
Method:
Start by peeling the potatoes and cutting them into thick, even slices using a
pastry cutter, then shape them into rounds.
Pan-fry the potato slices in oil until golden brown, then add butter. Pour in
sufficient vegetable stock to cover the potatoes.
If cooking in the oven, leave the pan uncovered. If cooking on the stove, cover the
pan. Check the potatoes every 10 minutes to ensure they are cooking properly,
and add more vegetable stock if needed.
Once the potatoes are fully cooked, stop adding the vegetable stock. Instead,
allow the remaining liquid in the pan to reduce, creating a glaze that coats the
potatoes.
