Bouchée à la Reine (Queen's Mouthful)
Bouchée à la reine is a creamy chicken and mushroom filling spooned into crisp puff pastry shells, a French classic named for Marguerite de Valois, wife of Henri IV. The sauce is thickened with flour, then finished with an egg yolk and cream liaison that turns it glossy enough to coat a spoon. Serve it as a first course, or as a light main with a green salad.
Instructions
Put the chicken stock and the bouquet garni in a saucepan and bring it to a boil. Let it infuse for 10 to 11 minutes so the stock takes on the flavor of the herbs.
Cut the chicken breasts into small dice. Rinse the mushrooms quickly and cut them in halves or quarters, depending on their size.
Melt the butter in a sauteuse or frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the chopped shallot and cook for about 1 minute, stirring.
Stir in the flour with a whisk or wooden spoon and cook for about 1 minute without letting it brown. Add the infused stock a little at a time, stirring, and cook for 2 minutes.
Add the diced chicken and the mushrooms. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring from time to time.
Preheat the oven to 350°F (gas mark 6) and bake the vol-au-vent shells for 5 to 10 minutes, or as the package directs, taking care not to burn them.
Mix the cream and egg yolk in a bowl. Turn up the heat under the sauteuse, pour in the mixture and beat it into the sauce. Lower the heat as soon as it reaches a boil.
The sauce is ready when it is smooth and coats the back of a spoon. Season with pepper only and do not add salt.
Take the shells out of the oven, fill them quickly and serve at once, since they cool fast.
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