Chicken roulade en croute

[warpig3]

I had this years ago in a restaurant and have decided to make it however I have trawled the t'internet but cant find it so have decided to have a go myself! So this is what I intend to do.

Bash a chicken breast to within a quarter inch of its life, spread on some cream cheese, possibly ricotta (haven't decided yet), a layer of spinach and season.

Roll roulade and secure, lightly coat in flour and fry gently in pan to colour.

Wrap roulade in puff pastry and cook for 20 mins at 180c.

then serve with tarragon sauce.

This is as near as I can remember, does anyone have any suggestions or better still the proper recipe?

thanks
warpig

[nickmo]

Hi W - suggest poaching the roulade not frying as when you then bake en croute you could dry out the chicken too much.
Wrap the filled chicken in clingfilm and make a tightly sealed - by twisting the ends of the film like a sausage - package, then drop into pan of water inc. a slug of white wine, at a steady boil for 10 mins.
Remove , leave to cool before unwrapping then add to the pastry case and bake.

The roulade en croute is similar to ballotine of chicken en croute which is flattened chicken breast wrapped in poached or blancehed leek, or spinach, leaves, then stuffed and poached. You could then finish in pastry.....Stuff the breast with whatever takes your fancy - wild mushroom and walnut; sun dried tomato and leeks; proscuttio and leek mousse; goats cheese and shallot; apricots and fresh herbs.... - - etc etc

Hope this helps..

[BBWCHATT]

http://fusionchef.com/globalcuisine/recipes/me ats/chicken_roulade.htm

Chicken Roulade
(Serves 4 People)

Chicken can be very elegantly prepared. This is a recipe that makes sense. Use the legs to stuff the breast, use mushrooms to replace the fat in the forcemeat and finally, use the bones to make the sauce. My friend Patrick Constant, at Le Grand Chancelier Restaurant in Cheverny France, made of the Chicken Roulade, his specialty.

Tools: pastry pin, baking pan, cutting board, boning knife, Chopping knife or meat grinder (optional)

Ingredients:- to convert -1 lbs. puff pastry rolled 1/8" thick -2 3 � chicken - 1 lb. sliced domestic or wild mushrooms - 2 tsp. chopped garlic - 1 tsp. finely chopped thyme - salt, black pepper - olive oil - 4oz. Chicken Madeira sauce - 1 oz. chopped parsley - � oz. - 1 shot brandy (optional)

Steps: 1)Debone and skin the two chicken entirely, reserve the breasts. 2)Saut� the mushrooms with oil in a very hot pan to a golden color. 3)Grind finely the leg meat and the mushrooms. Add the garlic, brandy and thyme, salt and pepper and saut� a little patty to check the seasoning (correct it if necessary). Put that stuffing in pastry bag. 4)Between two plastic sheets, pound the breasts. Lay down the stuffing in the middle (and lengthwise) of each breast. Roll in the stuffing and tight up with a twine. 5)Season and saut� the chicken rolls in olive oil, to a golden brown. Refrigerate for 15 minutes. 6)Remove the string and wrap up the chicken in the puff pastry. Let rest for one hour. 7)Bake the rolls in a 400� preheated oven, on a sheet pan for 10 min on one side and after turning it, 10 min on the other side. 8)Cut the roll on both side and again in diagonal. Make each piece stand up in the plate and serve with the Chicken Madeira Sauce sauce. If you have many ro

[BBWCHATT]

Sorry War, it cut this part off:

If you have many rolls to cut, Keep it on the diagonal side for the pastry not to get soggy.

[warpig3]

Thank you both so much. Never thought of poaching the chicken, great tip and thank you for the alternative stuffings nickmo. At least I was on the right tracks.

Actually I am salivating at the thought of it now, hope it turns out something similiar to the one I had before!

BBW will e-mail you later today or tomorrow, hope all is well honey.

[warpig3]

Oh BB, just opened your link, am no longer salivating am drooling!

[nickmo]

Hi W - glad to help. You can vary the sauce too of course.

The easiest I would suggest that still gives flavour and looks very cheffy is bboil some carrots. Puree, strain it to remove any pieces, reheat this sauce and just strain again. Nothing easier and looks great presented at a meal.

Little added note re carrots - orange coloured foods are being investigated by the food boffins as they have been found to counteract cancer cell formation. Trials going on now to add this effect to rice as well as other veg. like cauliflower - already actually available as a natural occuring gene mutation varient. So go with the veg after all!!!

And final comment ref poaching - if you want to taste the best sausages, poach the little darlings first, then finish in hot goose fat to colour.........

Now, where's my spatula..........

[warpig3]

Thanks nickmo, carrot sauce, you learn something new every day, and I actually have a glut of carrots at the moment too.