Chicken · French
Chicken Parmentier
Chicken dinners have a reputation for being boring, and they've earned it honestly, but this one isn't. It's the kind of meal I make when I want to remind myself why people like chicken in the first place.
Method
- 1.For the topping, boil the potatoes in salted water until tender. Drain and push through a potato ricer, or mash thoroughly. Stir in the butter, cream and egg yolks. Season and set aside.
- 2.For the filling, melt the butter in a large pan. Add the shallots, carrots and celery and gently fry until soft, then add the garlic. Pour in the wine and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the tomato purée, chopped tomatoes and stock and cook for 10–15 minutes, until thickened. Add the shredded chicken, olives and parsley. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- 3.Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4.
- 4.Put the filling in a 20x30cm/8x12in ovenproof dish and top with the mashed potato. Grate over the Gruyère. Bake for 30–35 minutes, until piping hot and the potato is golden-brown.
Notes
A heavy pan makes a surprising amount of difference here. If you only own one good one, this is a good reason to dig it out.
Don't skip resting things that need resting. I always want to, and I'm always wrong to.
