Vol-au-vent with Homemade Puff Shells and Egg-Yolk Velouté
The brasserie version: a slow bone-in chicken stock, shells you bake yourself, wine-glazed mushrooms and a silky velouté finished with yolk and cream.
Method
Put the chicken legs, water, onion studded with the cloves, celery, thyme, bay leaves and salt in a 22 cm pot. Bring to the boil on high heat, skim off all the foam, then turn down to low heat so the surface barely trembles and cook for . A gentle simmer keeps the stock clear and the meat juicy; the legs are done when the meat pulls easily from the bone.
Add in this stepBone-in chicken legs (about 250 g each) 2Water 1,100 mlOnion 1Whole cloves 2Celery stalk 1Thyme sprigs 2Bay leaves 1Salt (for the stock) 1 tsp
high heat→low heatMeanwhile preheat the oven to 200 °C. Roll the pastry 4 mm thick and cut 9 cm rounds, two per shell. Leave one round whole as the base; cut a 6 cm hole from the other to make a ring. Brush the bases with beaten egg, press a ring on each, brush the tops (not the cut sides, or they won't rise) and prick the centres with a fork. Chill for 10 minutes, then bake for , until tall and deep golden. While still warm, press the soft centre down with a teaspoon to make room for the filling.
Add in this stepAll-butter puff pastry, chilled 300 gEgg (for glazing) 1
ovenMix the mince with the salt and roll into 1.5 cm balls with damp hands. Lift the chicken out. Keep the stock simmering on medium heat, poach the meatballs for until they float and feel firm, then scoop them out. Strain the stock and keep it hot. Pull the chicken off the bones in bite-sized pieces; discard skin and bones.
Add in this stepMinced pork or veal 120 gSalt (for the meatballs) 1 pinch
medium heatQuarter the mushrooms. Heat a quarter of the butter in a 24 cm pan on medium-high heat and fry the mushrooms for without stirring too often, until well browned. Pour in the wine and let it bubble away until the pan is almost dry; this glaze adds a lot of flavour.
Add in this stepButter 14 gButton or chestnut mushrooms 180 gDry white wine 50 ml
medium-high heatMelt the rest of the butter in a pot on medium heat, stir in the flour and cook for to a pale roux. Whisk in the hot stock a ladle at a time until the sauce coats a spoon thickly (about two-thirds of the stock), then lower to low heat and simmer for , stirring often. Long, slow cooking removes any floury taste and makes the velouté glossy.
Add in this stepButter 41 gPlain flour 40 g
medium heat→low heatWhisk the yolks with the cream in a bowl, whisk in a ladle of the hot sauce to warm them, then pour everything back into the pot. Add the chicken, meatballs, mushrooms, lemon juice, nutmeg and pepper and heat on low heat for , stirring constantly, until steaming and slightly thicker. Do not let it boil once the yolks are in, or they will curdle.
Add in this stepEgg yolks 1Double cream 70 mlLemon (for juice) ¼Freshly grated nutmeg 1 pinchWhite pepper to taste
low heatSet the warm shells on plates, fill them to overflowing, scatter with chives and put the pastry lids (the small cut-out rounds, baked alongside) on top. Serve at once.
Add in this stepFinely snipped chives 1 tbsp
Cook's tip
Bake the cut-out centres too: they become the lids. Freeze leftover stock for another day. If the sauce does split, take it off the heat and whisk in a spoonful of cold cream. The finished ragout keeps for 2 days in the fridge; reheat it gently and never let it boil.
Cooking it at camp
Make the stock, ragout and shells at home. Carry the ragout chilled in a sealed container in the cooler and the shells in a rigid box. At the campsite, warm the ragout slowly on low heat, stirring all the time, and crisp the shells for a minute in a dry, covered pan.