Chicken Galantine and Ballotine

Chicken Galantine and Ballotine

Classic as classic can get

Chicken Galantine or Ballotine are classic French dishes which I believe are so classic they're almost dead. I graduated with a diploma in classic culinary arts from the French Culinary Institute, and the only two people I ever saw attempt something like this were Master Chefs; I'm talking Jacques Pépin, Alain Sailhac, André Soltner, and the like. These are the heavy hitters, the old and the knowledgeable, the last remaining greats. I held the bathroom door open for Jacques Pépin once during my time at the FCI... that's a cherished memory. These guys paved the way for current star chefs, Michelin star winners, James Beard award winners, and all chefs alike in one way, shape, or form. If quartering a duck in under 15 seconds is something that gives you butterflies, then these are your guys. 

I've always wanted to learn how to properly debone poultry or fowl--it was never taught to me. When I stumbled across an old demo starring a much younger Jacques Pépin, I knew it was time to try my hand at a lost art. Here's the video, and my results.

If you want to do this as badly as I did and need a recipe, here's what I did, and it was amazing!

Start off by sauteing a container of spinach and drain off the excess liquid. Make two servings of mushroom duxelles, as mention in my en papillote review, and combine together. This is the stuffing for the chicken. Once the chicken is deboned and trussed back together, rub it with olive oil or butter, and salt all the way around. Bake on 415 F for around an hour depending on the size of the chicken... you want to pull it once the internal temperature hits 155 F. Grab some really nice vine-ripe or grape tomatoes, drizzle with olive oil and salt, and put them in the oven once the chicken is out. Just turn off the oven, and let the residual heat cook them for 10-15 minutes while the chicken sits. They'll crack slightly, but stay whole leaving the inside full of flavor and juice. 

If you want to make a sauce, make a white roux with 1 tbs of melted butter and flour, and add a splash of red or white wine. Cook until thick and add chicken stock until the right consistency is reached. Add some chopped parsley, salt, and pepper, mount with a pad of cold butter, and there's your sauce!

The hardest part about this recipe is deboning the chicken... I had to disinfect my laptop because I kept hitting the space bar to pause the video so many times. I'll tell you now, it's worth it to learn. If it's something you feel up to, good luck!

- Adam from Tipped Mixology