Belgian specialty: “Vol-au-vent” with mash potatoes/fries

Step 1: The Bouillon

1. Bring a large amount of water to a boil in a large pot to make a vegetable broth. Rinse the celery, carrots, leeks, onions, and 4 garlic cloves, chop them coarsely, and add them to the water.
2. Add the fresh herbs (thyme, bay leaves, rosemary, parsley stalks), salt, and spices (cloves and black peppercorns). Tip: Crush the peppercorns in a mortar first.
3. Let the broth simmer briefly, then submerge the chicken in the warm liquid.
4. Let the chicken simmer for about an hour. Skim off any fat and impurities that float to the top using a skimmer.
5. Remove the cooked chicken and let it cool.
6. Strain the broth. You will need 1 liter for the sauce and a little extra to cook the meatballs. (The remaining broth can be frozen for soups).

Step 2: Puff Pastry Shells

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
2. Beat an egg yolk with a little water.
3. To make the shells: Cut out 6 large circles from the puff pastry for each shell. Using a smaller ring, cut the center out of 4 of those circles (creating rings).
4. Assemble: Place a solid circle at the bottom, stack the 4 rings on top, and finish with another solid circle as the “lid”. Use the beaten egg yolk to glue the layers together. Brush the top with the egg wash so it bakes shiny.
5. Bake for about 20 minutes at 180°C until airy and golden brown. (Alternatively, you can buy readymade shells at a bakery).

Step 3: The Filling (Velouté)

1. Mix the minced meat with an egg (optional/if needed) and the breadcrumbs. Season with salt and pepper. Roll into identical, small meatballs (about 1 cm in diameter).
2. Bring a small portion of the strained chicken broth to a boil and cook the meatballs in it for a few minutes over medium heat.
3. Cut the button mushrooms into quarters. Melt a knob of butter in a pan and fry them. Add a crushed garlic clove during frying (so it doesn’t burn), along with some salt and pepper. Brown the mushrooms and set them aside.
4. Pick all the meat from the cooled chicken carcass. Tear or cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces and set aside.

Make the sauce: Melt 60g of butter in a pot and add 80g of flour to make a roux. Let the flour mixture dry out a bit

while stirring, ensuring it doesn’t burn.

1. Once it smells like baked biscuits, gradually whisk in 1 liter of the strained chicken broth. Keep whisking patiently to avoid lumps. Let it bubble until it thickens into a smooth, bound sauce.
2. Finish the sauce by stirring in a splash of Madeira wine and the heavy cream.
3. Add the cooked chicken, meatballs, and fried mushrooms to the sauce. Squeeze in some fresh lemon juice and season to taste with salt, pepper, freshly grated nutmeg, and an extra splash of Madeira if desired.

Step 4: The Hollandaise Sauce

1. Cut 250g of cold butter into small cubes.
2. Separate the eggs and place the 3 yolks into a saucepan (preferably one with a rounded bottom).
3. Using an empty half-eggshell as a measuring cup, add 2 eggshells of white wine and 1 eggshell of water to the yolks. Whisk until frothy before turning on the stove.
4. Place the pan over low heat and whisk continuously and vigorously in a figure-8 motion. Briefly take the pan off the heat every now and then to prevent the eggs from scrambling. Keep whisking until you have a thick, airy foam where the whisk leaves clear trails.
5. Remove the pan from the heat entirely. Gradually whisk in the cold butter cubes until completely incorporated and smooth.
6. Season the hollandaise with the juice of half a lemon, a pinch of cayenne pepper, and a pinch of salt. Taste to ensure the flavors are balanced.

Step 5: Finishing and Serving

1. Cut the “lid” out of the baked puff pastry shells.
2. Scoop a generous portion of the chicken, meatball, and mushroom velouté inside and cascading around the pastry shell.
3. Spoon a dollop of the airy hollandaise sauce over the top and place the puff pastry lid gently over it.
4. Garnish with a tuft of peppery garden cress and enjoy!