Margarita's International Recipes

Luxembourg
Bouchée à la Reine

Chicken in Pastry Cups

Bouchée à la Reine


Bouchée à la Reine, or "Queen style bites," are smallish cups of puff pastry filled with chopped meats in a white sauce. As the story goes, they were originally created chefs at Versailles per the request of Queen Marie Leczinska, Louis XV's wife. Tired of competing with Louis' mistresses, she wanted an aphrodisiac that would make the the king resume his passion for her. It didn't work. The dish, however, became very popular in noble tables during the 18th century, and has remained a favorite of French gastronomy ever since. At some point, it was taken up by Luxembourgers, and it is now particularly associated with the principality.

Luxembourg-style Bouchée à la Reine are filled with chicken and mushrooms in a simple béchamel sauce. I made the chicken using the original recipe, but I wouldn't bother next time. The cooking method did not give it any flavor to speak of, and it would have been easier to roast it or just buy a rotisserie chicken. Just grilling a couple of boneless, skinless breasts (or a few thighs) might be an even better idea - I was left with a lot of leftover shredded chicken.

If I made it again, I'd probably double the mushrooms - I do like mushrooms a lot -, and I'd spice up the sauce. It was too plain and boring. Adding a squeeze of lemon juice and a teaspoon of mustard helped - but I'd probably try adding some thyme or tarragon while reducing it.

Traditionally, you would use a rigged cookie cutter to make the pastry cups. I don't have one and didn't think it was worth to buy one just for this use. I don't think it mattered, the results worked just as well with a straight edged cookie cutter.

I totally loved the look of these cups, and I think it would be a very elegant dish to serve as an appetizer with a salad on the side.

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Bouchée à la Reine

Ingredients

For the chicken

  • 1 chicken
  • 2 carrots, cut into chunks
  • 1 onion, cut into wedges
  • 1 leek, cut into chunks
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 tsp chicken base
  • freshly ground black pepper to taste

For the mushrooms

  • 8 oz mushrooms
  • 1 Tbsp butter
  • salt and pepper to taste

    For the sauce

  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 3 cups milk
  • 1 cup reserved broth
  • 1 cup white wine
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream
  • salt & pepper to taste

    For the pastry

  • 1 package frozen puff pastry, defrosted
  • 1 egg, beaten

    Directions

    Prepare the chicken

    Clean the chicken and remove organs from the cavity, if present. Place in a large pot and cover with water. Add the carrots, onion, leek, bay leaves, chicken base and pepper. Bring to a boil over high heat, then lower heat to medium and cook until the chicken is done, around 75 minutes. Remove the chicken and reserve the broth. Let chicken cool, then debone it and shred it. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside. Measure 1 cups of chicken broth, including a piece of carrot and leek, and save the rest for another purpose or discard.

    Prepare the mushrooms

    Clean and quarter mushrooms. Melt the butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and sauté, stirring occasionally, until golden. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

    Prepare the sauce

    Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook until golden. Gradually whisk in the milk and continue whisking until thickened. Whisk in the chicken broth, wine and cream. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the mushrooms. Stir in as much shredded chicken as the sauce can take. Turn heat to low and keep warm while you bake the pastry.

    Prepare the pastry

    Preheat oven to 400°F. Cover two baking sheets with parchment paper.

    Flour a large working surface and unwrap a sheet of puff pastry. Roll it slightly. With a round cookie cutter, cut 3 1/2" circles. Brush them with beaten egg. Transfer half the circles to the baking sheet. Using a 2 1/2" round cookie cutter, cut a circle in the middle of the remaining circles. Carefully pick up the border you've cut and place it on top of one of the circles on the cookie sheet, making a little wall. Repeat with the remaining circles. Brush with beaten egg. Transfer the remaining smaller circles to the baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes, while you repeat with the remaining puff pastry sheet.

    Place puff pastry baskets in a plate and prick the bottom as to flatten it. Fill with the chicken mixture. Top with the small puff pastry circles and serve.


    • Adapted from a recipe at Les Saveurs de Llysa

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