Poulet Sauté à la Doria

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •12-inch (30 cm) ovenproof sauté pan with a tight-fitting lid
• •Small light-coloured saucepan
• •Sharp paring knife
• •Instant-read thermometer
• •Warm oval serving platter

Instructions

1. 1

   Turn the cucumber

   Heat the oven to 375°F (190°C) with a rack in the middle. Halve the peeled cucumber lengthwise and scrape out the wet seed channel. Cut the firm flesh into short lengths, then tourner (trim into even, tapered shapes) each piece until it resembles a plump garlic clove. Weigh the finished pieces so you have 8 ounces (225 g), then dry them well. Don't salt the cucumber now; salt draws out the very water the dish is trying to control.

   The pieces needn't win a beauty contest. Even thickness matters more than perfect facets, because even pieces become tender at the same moment.
2. 2

   Brown the chicken

   Dry the chicken thoroughly and season it with the salt and white pepper. Heat the oil in a 12-inch (30 cm) ovenproof sauté pan over medium-high heat, then add the browning butter. When its foam subsides, lay in the chicken skin-side down without crowding, working in two batches if necessary. Brown until the skin is a deep, even gold, about 5 minutes, then turn and colour the second side for 2 to 3 minutes. Move each piece to a plate as it is ready. Pale chicken gives the final gravy nothing to hold onto, so let the fond form before you move it.

3. 3

   Stew briefly

   Lower the heat to medium and spoon away excess fat, leaving about 1 tablespoon and every browned speck of fond. Add the dry cucumber and turn it through the fat for 1 minute without letting it colour. Return the chicken skin-side up, arranging the cucumber around it, then cover and place the pan in the oven. Check after 15 minutes and cook only until the breast reaches 165°F (74°C), the legs reach at least 170°F (77°C), and the cucumber yields to a knife while holding its shape, about 15 to 20 minutes. If the cucumber is ready before the chicken, lift it out with a slotted spoon and keep it warm while the bird finishes. Ça se rattrape; leaving it in would turn it to water.

4. 4

   Make beurre noisette

   While the chicken finishes, melt the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter in a small, light-coloured saucepan over medium heat. Swirl as it foams; when the foam thins, the milk solids turn amber, and the butter smells distinctly of toasted hazelnuts, remove it from the heat and pour it into a heatproof cup to stop the cooking. If it smells acrid or the specks turn black, begin again. Burnt butter cannot be reasoned with.

   A pale metal pan lets you see the milk solids change from gold to amber. In a dark pan, rely on aroma and remove the butter sooner.
5. 5

   Swill the pan

   Transfer the cooked chicken to a warm platter and arrange the cucumber over and around it. Set the sauté pan over medium-high heat. If the cucumber and chicken have left more than 2 tablespoons of liquid, boil it down until it looks lightly syrupy and the fond begins to show again. Déglacer (loosen the browned fond) with the prepared veal gravy and lemon juice, scraping the pan thoroughly for 30 to 45 seconds. This is the swilling liquor of the original recipe, concentrated rather than abundant.

6. 6

   Finish and serve

   Take the pan off the heat and pour in the warm beurre noisette, swirling until the veal gravy, lemon, fond, and butter gather into a glossy liquor. Taste before adding more salt. If the butter separates into greasy streaks, whisk in 1 teaspoon of hot water off the heat until the gloss returns. Spoon every drop over the chicken and cucumber. The sauce should lacquer the pieces and pool modestly beneath them, not drown the platter. À table!

Chef Tips

• •Choose a cucumber that feels rigid and heavy, preferably an English cucumber with a narrow seed channel. Weigh it after peeling and seeding; the half-pound proportion is deliberate, enough to garnish every serving without flooding the pan.
• •The prepared veal gravy should be strong and pourable, not a spoonful of salty commercial paste. If using concentrated veal demi-glace, dilute it according to its directions before measuring the tablespoon the dish requires.
• •Use a small chicken rather than four enormous breast portions. The joints finish quickly enough for the cucumber to remain intact, and the bones leave a better fond than boneless meat.
• •Serve this immediately. The chicken reheats, but cooked cucumber softens and releases more liquid as it waits. If leftovers remain, chill them promptly and reheat gently in a covered pan within two days.
• •Pour a round, dry white such as Mâcon-Villages. Its orchard-fruit freshness handles the cucumber and lemon, while its breadth sits comfortably beside the beurre noisette.

Advance Preparation

• •Joint and dry the chicken up to one day ahead, then keep it covered in the cold. Season it shortly before cooking so its surface remains dry enough to brown.
• •The cucumber can be peeled, seeded, shaped, and weighed up to four hours ahead. Keep the pieces between clean towels in the cold so they stay firm and dry.
• •The beurre noisette may be prepared up to two hours ahead and held at room temperature. Warm it only enough to liquefy before adding it to the swilling liquor.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 270g)