Charcuterie_ The Craft of Salting, Smoking, and Curing - Michael Ruhlman [106]
4. Remove the frozen skin from the freezer and, with a sharp knife scrape away excess fat pockets. The skin should become pliable within 4 to 5 minutes.
5. To make the forcemeat: Freeze all your blades and bowls before gathering and measuring your ingredients (see Note below).
6. Season the chicken breasts aggressively with salt and pepper (remembering it will be served cold). Heat the butter or oil in a small sauté pan over high heat. When it’s smoking, add the breasts and sauté until nicely browned on both sides but still raw in the center. Remove and set aside to cool.
7. Add the garlic and shallots to the pan and cook until translucent, about 1 minute. Deglaze with the Madeira, scraping up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon, then reduce until the mixture is almost a paste. Transfer the reduction to a small bowl, cover and refrigerate.
8. Combine the dark meat, fat, and liver and grind through the small die. Transfer to the bowl of a food processor, add the egg whites, salt, pepper, pâté spice, and shallot-Madeira reduction, and puree until smooth, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl set in ice, and, using a rubber spatula, blend in the heavy cream.
9. Do a quenelle test to check for seasoning, and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Fold in the optional garnish, if using. Refrigerate until chilled.
10. To cook the galantine using the traditional method: Cut a double thickness of cheesecloth large enough to roll the galantine in, about 12 inches/30 centimeters by 2 feet/60 centimeters. Lay the skin outside down in the center. Place half the forcemeat down the center in a rectangular shape about 4 inches/10 centimeters by 8 inches/20 centimeters. Lay the seared breasts end to end down the center and cover with the remaining forcemeat. Fold the skin up over so both sides meet and you have a compact roulade about 3 inch/7.5 centimeter in diameter. Roll up in the cheesecloth as tightly as possible, and twist and tie each end with string. Cut three strips of cheesecloth 1⁄2 inch/1 centimeter wide by about 12 inches/30 centimeters long and tie around the galantine for additional support.
Heat the chicken stock in a pan large enough to hold the galantine (a fish poacher is the perfect shape) to a temperature of 170 degrees F./76 degrees C. Poach the galantine in the stock to an internal temperature of 160 degrees F./71 degrees C., 30 to 45 minutes, weighting it down with a rack or plate to keep the galantine submerged. Remove from the heat and let the galantine cool to room temperature, then refrigerate it, still in the poaching liquid.
11. To cook the galantine in water: Form and roll the galantine as directed above, substituting plastic wrap for cheesecloth. Tie one end with butcher’s string. Holding onto the knot, roll the galantine along the counter to tighten it. Twist the other end of the plastic wrap and roll the galantine along the counter to tighten it, then tie that end with string. The galantine should be nice and tight. Repeat the process with a second layer of plastic wrap for additional strength.
Follow the cooking instructions in step 10 above, using water instead of stock. Let cool in the water to maintain its shape, then remove and refrigerate.
12. To serve, remove the cheesecloth or plastic wrap and slice the galantine.
Yield: 16 to 20 slices; 8 to 10 appetizer servings
[ NOTE: See pages 204–212 for a detailed description of the general terrine method. ]
THE GALANTINE
A chicken galantine is a special pâté that in effect trades the skin of the bird for the terrine mold. Here, a sheet of plastic wrap has been laid down on the work surface and a layer of cheesecloth spread over it. The skin from the chicken, which was removed in one piece,