Poularde Souvaroff

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •5 to 6 quart heavy lidded cocotte or Dutch oven
• •Kitchen twine
• •Oven-safe probe thermometer
• •Rimmed plate or small tray
• •Sturdy table knife for breaking the paste seal

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the sealing paste

   Heat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Mix the flour with the initial ⅓ cup of cold water, adding the remaining water a teaspoon at a time, until you have a stiff, smooth paste that bends without crumbling. Knead it briefly, cover it, and let it rest while you prepare the bird. Keep back a walnut-sized piece for repairs.

2. 2

   Stuff and truss

   Dry the poularde thoroughly, then season it inside and out with the salt and pepper. Gently combine the cold foie gras and diced truffle, keeping the pieces distinct, and spoon them loosely into the cavity. Don't ram the stuffing tight or heat cannot reach its center evenly. Truss the legs across the opening and fold the wing tips beneath the bird.

3. 3

   Poêle three-quarters

   Apply Poëlings (No. 250) in the same snug cocotte you will eventually carry to the table, taking the poularde only to three-quarters cooked, about 65 to 75 minutes for this size of bird. The skin should be evenly hazelnut-gold, the thickest part of the thigh about 145°F (63°C), and the stuffing near 140°F (60°C). Add no stock during this stage. Moistening now would turn the poularde into a braise and erase the concentrated butter-roasted savor that poëling is meant to build. Don't move on with pale skin, because the sealed finish will not brown it.

4. 4

   Stew the truffles

   Lift the poularde onto a rimmed plate without cleaning or degreasing the cocotte. The butter and fond left by Poëlings (No. 250) carry the bird's flavor. Add the 10 whole truffles and the Madeira, then simmer gently for 3 to 5 minutes, rolling the truffles through the butter until the Madeira loses its raw alcoholic edge and reduces to a thin syrup. If the liquid disappears before that point and the fond threatens to catch, lower the heat and add a spoonful of the measured veal stock. Ça se rattrape.

5. 5

   Seal the cocotte

   Return the poularde and any collected juices to the cocotte, settling the whole truffles around it. Pour the veal stock around the bird rather than over its browned skin. Insert an oven-safe probe into the center of the stuffing, fit the lid, and roll the sealing paste into a rope about ¾ inch (2 cm) thick. Press it continuously around the join between lid and pot, sealing carefully around the probe cable. If the paste splits, press on a piece of the reserved dough with a damp finger immediately. The crack looks alarming, but it is entirely repairable.

6. 6

   Finish under seal

   Return the sealed cocotte to the moderate oven for 30 minutes. The stuffing must reach 165°F (74°C), with the thigh at least as hot, before the bird is served. If the probe reads low after the prescribed half hour, continue for 5 to 10 minutes; temperature, not optimism, decides poultry. Remove the cocotte and let it stand sealed for 10 minutes.

7. 7

   Break seal tableside

   Remove the probe and press the small cable opening closed. Carry the cocotte to the table exactly as it stands. Cut through the paste ring with a sturdy table knife and lift the lid away from your guests, releasing the trapped perfume all at once. Carve the poularde, keeping the foie-gras-and-truffle stuffing in generous spoonfuls, and give each serving whole truffles and some of the glossy Madeira jus from the bottom of the cocotte. À table!

Chef Tips

• •The truffle quantity is deliberate: 5 ounces in the cavity and 10 whole truffles around the bird. Fresh black winter truffles give the fullest perfume; outside their season, use excellent whole preserved black truffles at the same drained weight. Truffle oil and paste cannot do this work.
• •Buy raw whole-lobe foie gras, not pâté or mousse. Keep it very cold until the moment you stuff the poularde, so the dice remain distinct and render gradually inside the bird.
• •Choose a cocotte that holds the poularde closely without pressing against it. Too much empty space disperses the Madeira and truffle perfume; too small a pot prevents the lid from closing cleanly.
• •Serve a mature red Burgundy or a structured dry white Burgundy. The dish already has foie gras, Madeira, and truffle in abundance, so the wine needs depth and restraint, not sweetness.

Advance Preparation

• •The sealing paste can be made one day ahead, wrapped tightly, and refrigerated. Let it soften for 20 minutes before rolling so it seals without cracking.
• •The foie gras and stuffing truffles can be diced up to 4 hours ahead and kept separately covered in the cold. Keep the whole truffles chilled as well.
• •Have the veal stock and the elements required for Poëlings (No. 250) measured before the bird is stuffed. Do not stuff raw poultry in advance; assemble it immediately before cooking.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 485g)