Recipe No 621 braise Adapted 2016

Poulet Vallée d’Auge

The valley of Auge near Normany in north-western France is known for apples and Calvados. This recipe uses both.

It is a traditional family dish, though we think it is great for a dinner party or when you have your mother-in-law for dinner.

Adapted from Bon Appetit

Difficulty
moderate
Yield
4 serves • 1400 g
Metric Imperial

Processes

  • Butter (1 tbsp)
    14 g
  1. 01
    Heat in a large, straight-sided sauté pan over medium heat.

  • Apples, firm and tart (such as pink lady or braeburn); peeled, cored and quartered (3 medium)
    375 g
  1. 02
    Add to pan and cook, turning occasionally, until browned in places, about minutes.
  2. 03
    Transfer to a plate and set aside.

  • Olive oil (2 tsp)
    9 g
  1. 04
    Add to pan and increase heat to medium-high.

  • Chicken, quartered (1 regular)
    1600 g
  • Salt (1½ tsp)
    4 g
  • Pepper
    to taste
  1. 05
    Season pieces and fry until browned all over, about .
  2. 06
    Transfer to a separate plate and set aside.

  • Leek, white and pale green parts, halved lengthwise, cleaned and sliced crosswise ¼" / 0.6 cm (1 small)
    100 g
  • Shallot, peeled and finely chopped (1 regular)
    40 g
  1. 07
    Add to pan and sauté until softened, about .
  2. 08
    Remove pan from heat.

  • Calvados (2 tbsp)
    60 g
  1. 09
    Add to pan and ignite with a long match.
  2. 10
    After flames die down, return pan to heat.

  • Apple cider (3 tbsp)
    45 g
  1. 11
    Bring to boil and lower to simmer until slightly reduced, about .
  2. 12
    Return reserved chicken to pan.

  • Thyme (1 tsp)
    0.8 g
  • Bay leaves (1 tsp)
    0.6 g
  • Chicken stock (¼ cup)
    60 g
  1. 13
    Add to pan and bring to boil then reduce to simmer.
  2. 14
    Cover and simmer .
  3. 15
    Return reserved apples to the pan.
  4. 16
    Cover again and continue cooking for a further .
  5. 17
    Remove breasts from the pan and keep warm.
  6. 18
    Cook remaining pieces for a further .
  7. 19
    Remove pieces from pan and keep warm.

  • Mushrooms such as crimini or button; trimmed and halved
    120 g
  • Butter (2 tbsp)
    30 g
  • Salt (¼ tsp)
    1.3 g
  • Pepper
    to taste
  1. 20
    Meanwhile, in a separate skillet, sauté until browned and softened, about .
  2. 21
    Transfer to a plate and set aside.

  • Crème fraîche (¼ cup)
    60 g
  • Egg, yolk (1 small)
    15 g
  1. 22
    Whisk to combine.
  2. 23
    Add to pan with apples and stir to combine.
  3. 24
    Add mushrooms to pan and stir to combine.
  4. 25
    Serve sauce with reserved chicken pieces.

Notes

(Chef notes) Strategy for modernist approach:

Brown apples and chicken pieces.

Sweat alliums.

Deglaze with calvados and flambe.

Reduce cider.

Add apples, thyme and bay leaves; cover and simmer .

Strain sauce and vacuum seal with chicken pieces and apple peels.

Cook marylands to 74°C / 165°F for then reduce to 60°C / 140°F and cook breast for (can hold marylands at this temp, too).

Drain liquid and reduce slightly with strained solids for . Extract bay leaf.

Complete and .

Drink pairings

Calvados

Categorisation

Category
braise
Meal
dinner dinner party lunch
Cuisine
france
Diet
omnivorous
Tags
apples auge calvados chicken dinner party france mother-in-law normandy