Le Cordon Bleu Instruction #11; Instruction #12

Instruction #11 and #12 go hand-in-hand. As do their respective practicals.

Instruction #11

• Chicken stuffed with foie gras mousse and pistachios (ballottine)
• Aspic coated chicken with country bacon and Chablis wine
• White sausage with apples

Instruction #12

• Sea bream and tomato jelly mosaique with salad in a crispy pastry
• Clarification of the ballottine cooking liquid
• Tasting of the ballottine

Yesterday we made ballottine of chicken. A ballottine is any meat that has been boned, stuffed, rolled, and cooked.

Taking a whole chicken we systematically took out every bone. Starting with one slit down the bird’s backbone. Without piercing the skin. And keeping the fowl whole.

Laying limp without a skeleton we stuffed. Pork shoulder, pork fatback, and cooked ham for the base. In the center laid a roll of foie gras that had been coated with diced pistachios.

Careful to completely seal the stuffing with the chicken meat and skin. We rolled the bird back up – partially resembling its original shape.

Sealed well in plastic wrap, the ballottine was dropped into simmering court bouillon – cooking liquid. Chicken bones, carrot, onion, celery, leek, garlic, white wine, salt, and water.

Once the internal temperature reached 65 degrees Celsius we covered out pots. And placed them in the refrigerator overnight.

Today – Instruction #12 – we clarified the court bouillon. Added some gelatin leaves. Creating a gel-like jelly – gelée – that was used to decorate the ballottine serving platter. Chef sliced his ballottine showing the tasty layers – stuffing, foie gras, and pistachios.

Chef Tivet also showed us how to make sausage for the first time yesterday. Passed with turned apples that were sautéed in melted butter.


Chef’s third dish, aspic coated chicken with country bacon and Chablis wine, was a terrine. Prepared yesterday, it set overnight. Leaving the tasting for today. The layering of chicken breast, bacon, foie gras, carrot, and celery made for a beautiful presentation.

As for flavor, it was delicious. But then again, I’m a big fan of foie gras. Large pieces studded the center leaving large, full bites throughout the dish. Buttery. Rich. Foie. Yum!

Instruction #12’s chef, Chef Caals, also prepared sea bream and tomato jelly mosaique. Another terrine. This time with poached fish, spinach, and tomatoes. Passed along with a brik pastry – properly malsouqa, a Turkish thin pastry – cone. Brik is sort-of similar to Greek phyllo-dough.

The points of lesson #11 and #12 were terrine, gelée, and boning a whole fowl. All items that need resting time in the refrigerator.

Both practicals will not be completed until tomorrow. So for now. My ballottine is happily setting in Le Cordon Bleu’s refrigerator. Waiting for clarification – which will be gelled. And used to decorate my serving plate.