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Calabash Cove Chicken Vol au Vent
Puff pastry Ingredients
Chef used ready-rolled pastry, but you can also use a puff pastry block and roll it yourself,
Egg yolk and milk - to brush the pastry with
Method
In a small bowl, mix the egg yolk with the milk to get a smooth mixture.
Roll the puff pastry over the work surface.
Using a cookie cutter of 6 cm in diameter, cut out a circle of pastry.
Cut out another circle, then place a cookie cutter of 4 cm in diameter in the middle of the second circle, so that you have a ring cut on the outside of the smaller circle.
Repeat with the rest of the puff pastry.
Place all the larger and small circles onto a baking tray lined with non-stick paper and brush them with the egg mixture.
Place the pastry rings onto the circles. Remember to brush the rings too.
Bake in the preheated oven at 175 Celsius (350 Fahrenheit) for 15 minutes or until golden brown.
As soon as the cases come out of the oven, press down slightly so that the bottom of the cases goes down a bit to make more room for the filling
Ingredients for the filling
1 Chicken breast - I used a medium-sized one
1 cup Mushrooms - white button mushrooms, but other mushrooms would do too
1 Onion – chef uses regular onions with chives.
Garlic minced or chopped – 2 tablespoons.
¼ cup Butter or olive oil
½ litre Milk – full cream or semi-skimmed are ok
All-purpose flour - for thickening the sauce.
Parmesan cheese - or any other hard cheese (helps with thickening too)
Salt and black pepper
Chopped parsley- 2 tablespoon.
1 cup sweet bell peppers- mixed colours to give dish that bright appearance.
¼ cup dry white wine
Method
First, peel and chop the onion and garlic.
Add the butter or oil to a frying pan set over medium heat and allow the butter to melt.
Add the onion and sauté until golden, then add the garlic and chicken cut into pieces, and cook everything until the chicken is tender - it can take up to 5-6 minutes, depending on the size of the chicken pieces.
Add the chopped mushrooms and peppers and continue to cook until they release all their liquid.
Sprinkle the flour over the chicken and mushrooms, pour in the milk, whisking well until the milk thickens into a sauce, and add white wine.
Add the grated parmesan, season with salt and pepper, and garnish with parsley or chopped herbs.
Fill each pastry case with the filling. Place small circles on top or the side of the dish and serve.
Enjoy.
