Chaud-froid de Poularde à la Rossini

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Snug 6 to 8 qt (5.7 to 7.6 L) stockpot
• •Instant-read thermometer
• •Fine-mesh sieve
• •Wire rack and rimmed tray
• •Deep 8-inch (20 cm) square serving dish
• •Sharp paring knife and parchment lyre template

Instructions

1. 1

   Poach the poularde

   Put the stock, onion, carrot, celery, bouquet garni, and salt in a snug stockpot and bring them to a bare simmer. Lower in the poularde, breast downward, adding just enough water to cover if your pot demands it. Hold the liquid between 180 and 185°F (82 and 85°C), with only an occasional bubble, and poach for 45 to 55 minutes. The thickest part of the thigh must reach 165°F (74°C). A boil tightens the flesh and clouds the stock, so lower the heat at once if the surface becomes lively.

2. 2

   Trim and chill

   Lift the poularde onto a tray and let it drain for 10 minutes. While it is still manageable, divide it into four handsome portions: two leg quarters and two suprêmes, each breast with its first wing joint if possible. Remove the skin without tearing the flesh, trim away ragged edges, and set the pieces on a rack so every surface can cool. Refrigerate uncovered until completely cold and dry, about 1 hour, then cover. A damp piece makes the coating slide, so blot away any beads of moisture before proceeding.

3. 3

   Enrich the sauce

   Warm the ordinary chaud-froid sauce only until it becomes fluid, then let it settle near 86°F (30°C). Press the foie gras through a fine sieve, measure 1/2 cup, and whisk it into the 2 cups of sauce. That is one-quarter of the sauce's bulk, exactly as the entry requires. Pass the combined sauce through the sieve once more. If it looks grainy or greasy, don't discard it. Ça se rattrape: set the bowl over ice and whisk gently until it comes together, then sieve it again. If it has set too firmly, warm it over barely warm water, never direct heat.

4. 4

   Mask the pieces

   Set the cold, dry poultry pieces on a rack over a tray. Spoon the foie gras chaud-froid over each piece from the center outward, letting it fall naturally over the sides until the flesh is completely hidden beneath a smooth ivory coat. If the sauce runs off translucent, chill it for 5 minutes; if it leaves ridges, warm it by a degree or two. Do not brush it back and forth. Chill the coated pieces for 15 to 20 minutes, until the surface is set but still faintly tacky.

5. 5

   Cut truffle lyres

   Cut four broad truffle slices about 1/16 inch (1.5 mm) thick. Draw a simple lyre about 1 1/4 inches (3 cm) tall on parchment, cut it out, and use it as a guide with the point of a very sharp paring knife. The special lyre cutter was brigade equipment, not sacred technique; the clear silhouette is what matters. Set one truffle lyre on each tacky portion and dab it with a little cooled liquid chicken jelly to secure it.

6. 6

   Set beneath jelly

   Pour about 1/2 cup (120 ml) chicken jelly into a deep 8-inch (20 cm) square serving dish and chill it until just set. Arrange the four coated pieces neatly on this base. Pour a shallow ribbon of jelly around their feet and chill for 10 minutes to anchor them, then add the remaining jelly slowly down the inside wall of the dish until the pieces are covered. The jelly must be cool yet fluid. If it forms strings, warm it gently; if it feels warm against your wrist, wait, because warm jelly will dissolve the foie gras coating.

7. 7

   Chill and serve

   Refrigerate the dish uncovered until the jelly is fully set, about 4 hours, then cover it without touching the surface. Bring it from the cold 15 minutes before serving so the foie gras loses its refrigerator hardness while the jelly remains firm. Cut through the aspic with a thin knife dipped in hot water and wiped dry, and serve directly from the square dish. The lyres need no parsley, flowers, or further fuss. Cooking well is not cooking fancy. À table!

Chef Tips

• •This entry reaches for ordinary chaud-froid sauce and chicken jelly as finished preparations. Have both ready before poaching the bird; folding their separate methods into this assembly would turn a disciplined cold dish into a siege.
• •Use cooked foie gras with a close, rich texture, such as a plain bloc or firm terrine. Foie gras mousse contains extra air and dairy, so it won't preserve the required one-quarter proportion or give the same smooth coat.
• •Fresh black truffle gives the cleanest slices and strongest perfume. Outside its season, use a whole preserved black truffle, drained and dried well. It will be quieter, but it keeps the book's garnish honestly. Truffle oil does neither job.
• •A poularde has more fat and tenderness than an everyday roasting chicken, but careful poaching matters more than pedigree. If a poularde isn't available, choose a plump bird with unblemished flesh and watch the liquid, patience rather than boiling.
• •Serve with toasted brioche and a sharp green salad on separate plates. A brut Champagne or a full, dry white Burgundy has enough freshness for the foie gras without bullying the cold poultry.

Advance Preparation

• •Prepare the ordinary chaud-froid sauce and chicken jelly up to 2 days ahead and refrigerate them separately. Liquefy each gently over warm water before use.
• •The poularde may be poached, trimmed, and chilled 1 day ahead. Keep the portions covered once they are completely cold so their surfaces remain smooth without drying hard.
• •Assemble the entire dish up to 24 hours before serving. Let the jelly set uncovered, then cover the dish without letting wrapping touch its surface.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 640g)