Great Chefs of the France Episode 101: Entree
Chicken in Pork Bladder
Patrick Henriroux
La Pyramide
Vienne, France
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Chef Patrick Henriroux combines one of the wonderful Bresse chickens, complete with its leg tag, with wine, Port, cognac, and truffle juice in a pork bladder, seals it, and lets it poach. The bladder inflates, and this puffed balloon-like presentation is garnished with a blanched leek and brought to the table on a silver tray on a bed of tournéed vegetables sauced with cream. The bladder is pricked carefully before the diners to release the pressure and juices, then the chicken is removed and sliced. While unusual in the U.S., pork bladders make a perfect casement for such a dish, marvelously flexible and strong with the added advantage of absorbing some flavor from the poaching broth. Specialty meat stores may be able to obtain them for you with enough advance warning. A boil-in or baking bag, sealed foil, or even folded and sealed buttered parchment paper could also be used; the flavor would still be wonderful, but the traditional presentation would be lacking. Flat foil and parchment are very tricky, however, being much more difficult to seal than a bag. Chef Henriroux accompanies the dish with a simple herbed pilaf.
Serves 4
2 small whole baking chickens, preferably Bresse, cleaned and trimmed (suggest free-range)
2 black truffles, sliced very thin
Two 3/4-inch-thick medallions foie gras
2 pork bladders, cleaned and checked for holes, or plastic boil-in or baking bags, or large pieces of heavy foil or buttered parchment
1 tablespoon Kosher salt
Freshly ground white pepper to taste
1/2 cup white wine
1 cup Port wine
1/2 cup cognac
1/2 cup truffle juice
6 to 8 cups chicken stock (see Cooking Basics) or, if using plastic baking bags or foil or parchment packets, 6 to 8 cups water, depending upon size of cooking pot (the bladders or bags or packets should be able to float)
Rice Pilaf
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/2 onion, minced
1 cup rice
1-1/2 cups chicken stock (see Cooking Basics)
1 bouquet garni (sprig of thyme, 1 bay leaf, sprig of parsley, sprig of chervil, and celery leaves, tied together with cotton string)
Vegetables
2 carrots
2 large potatoes
2 baby zucchini
8 to 10 haricots verts
16 baby pea pods
2 scallions, split in half, roots trimmed, tops trimmed to 4 inches
2 baby leeks, trimmed and cleaned
Sauce
2 cups chicken stock (see Cooking Basics)
1 cup heavy (whipping) cream
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small bits
Salt and freshly ground white pepper to taste
Garnish
1/2 truffle, shaved
