Delicate Fricassee of Young Chicken, Capon or Pigeon

Ingredients

• 1200 gChicken
• 60 gButter
• 8 gSalt
• 500 mlChicken broth
• 1 pcsLemon
• 1 gNutmeg
• 30 gZwieback
• 100 mlCream
• 150 gShrimp
• 100 gMushroom
• 150 gSpargelkopf
• 100 gSausage
• 100 gWhite bread
• 2 pcsEgg yolk
• 100 gPuff pastry
• 1 tspPepper

Instructions

1. 1

   Preparation

   • Pat dry the poultry and cut into 4 portions (halve pigeons lengthwise; capon may remain whole if desired).
   • Prepare small bread dumplings: cut 100 g white bread into cubes, moisten with a little stock or water, form small dumplings and set aside.
   • Clean and slice mushrooms, trim asparagus and reserve the tips (about 150 g).
   • Thaw and pat dry shrimp if frozen. Warm cocktail sausages briefly in hot water.
   • Cut puff pastry (approx. 100 g) into small diamonds and bake at 200 °C (convection 180 °C) for 8–10 minutes until golden.
2. 2

   Searing and simmering

   • Melt 60 g butter in a large pot over medium–high heat.
   • Season poultry with about 8 g salt and brown in batches until lightly colored. Remove and set aside.
   • Reduce heat, toast 30 g finely crushed zwieback (rusk) briefly in the pot, deglaze with 500 ml hot chicken stock.
   • Return poultry to the pot, add lemon slices and 1 g grated nutmeg.
   • Cover and simmer gently for about 30 minutes until meat is tender but not falling apart.
3. 3

   Additions and finishing

   • 15 minutes before the end, stir in 100 ml cream.
   • Add mushrooms, asparagus tips, pre-cooked bread dumplings, cocktail sausages and shrimp; simmer 10–15 minutes until everything is cooked (heat shrimp briefly).
   • Remove from heat. Temper 2 egg yolks with a few spoonfuls of hot sauce, then stir into the sauce to thicken (do not boil).
   • Season with freshly ground pepper and adjust salt if needed.
4. 4

   Plating

   • Arrange poultry with sauce, mushrooms, asparagus and shrimp on warm plates.
   • Add the bread dumplings and garnish with baked puff pastry diamonds.
   • Serve immediately.