It’s a pity that not so many people dare make a roulade! The technique is a bit more challenging, but it worth the effort – today I will also show you one trick that I learnt in professional kitchen. I personally cannot get enough of this roulade, meat is juicy, tasty and filling is amazing. And perhaps it is even better cold.
For 4 portions
1 whole chicken
lemon zest
1 spring onion
1 onion
50 g bacon
200 g precooked chestnuts
2 eggs
200 g stale bread
30 g butter
pinch of nutmeg
20 g mache leaves
salt, pepperSauce:
1 carrot
50 g celeriac
1 onion
100 ml white wine
whole juniper, black pepper, bay leaf
2 tbsp tomato purée
20 g butter
First debone the chicken. When I prepare roulade, I’m starting from the back of the bird. Place the chicken upside down, first take off the entire skin, then debone it classic way. It is much easier than trying to debone chicken bone with the skin on. Then simply put the skin on the cling film and pile the meat on, so after cutting, you always have part of thigh and breast in a portion.
Chop all the bones to small pieces and fry them in olive oil. When slightly brown, add the carrots and fry again to golden brown. Then add the rest of the vegetables and cook again. When it is completely brown, add the purée and simmer through, add white wine and let it reduce until the alcohol evaporates. Pour the water or broth in and bring to a boil. I used a pressure cooker, it seems that it’s best for sauces – also saves you time and money. After about an hour, drain the sauce and reduce to consistency, season with salt and melt in a little piece of butter.
To prepare the stuffing I use old bread which I slice into cubes and roast until golden brown in a frying pan with a little olive oil. Then add a cube of butter. Fry the chopped bacon and coarsely chopped onion in a bit of olive oil. Let everything cool down and add the finely chopped spring onions. Whip two eggs with a little salt until combined, mix all the ingredients together and season with salt and pepper.
Crush the chestnuts a little bit and smoke it with a smoking gun under a cling film in a suitable container – or use a pot. Chestnuts can absorb the taste of smoke quite well and will flavour the stuffing. When finished, add them to the stuffing.
Back to the chicken. Place the skin on the double cling film add the meat and season with salt, pepper and lemon zest. Tenderize the meat by punching it down on the cling film. Add the stuffing in the middle and wrap the roulade tightly and evenly. Pull it tight again with a foil on both sides. Move it to the freezer for 15 minutes to harden slightly. Finally, take off the foil and tie the roulade with a string. Season with salt again and put it in the oven with the rest of the stuffing for 30 minutes at 160 degrees or until cooked through.
After baking, let the roulade rest for about ten minutes. Then cut into large chunks and serve with sliced chestnuts, mache leaves salad, gravy and stuffing. It will be also great with mashed potatoes or some vegetable purée. You can smoke the whole portion again and serve right away. Enjoy!
