#poulet sauté aux ducs de bourgogne

[timetraveltasting]

POULET SAUTÉ AUX DUCS DE BOURGOGNE (1932)

I've never had a Michelin-star meal before, but in this next Tasting History dish, I get to try one: Poulet Sauté aux Ducs de Bourgogne is a dish famous for being served at the Michelin-starred restaurants in Lyon, France, both called La Mère Brazier. While this recipe was created by Eugénie Brazier in 1932, it was in 1933 that both of her restaurants won 3 Michelin stars each, making her the first chef to have six. No other chef would earn six Michelin stars until Alain Ducasse did so in the 1988 Michelin Guide. Madame Brazier opened her first restaurant in 1921, building it into a nationally famous restaurant by the end of the decade and promptly opening up a second location in the foothills outside of Lyon. Brazier is considered one of Lyon's famous female cooks – the Mères lyonnaises – who were known for avoiding flashy, elaborate dishes, preferring instead to offer simple food of the highest quality. These chefs were known to have influenced many famous French chefs after them. By modern Michelin standards, this chicken dish is considered fairly plain. While Michelin stars were originally awarded to "fine dining establishments", originally only in France, the stars were given out primarily on the basis of taste, and less the presentation and ambience of the meals. In general, this is more my style, so I thought it would be fun to try and make this early Michelin meal - also since I can't afford to eat at a Michelin-starred restaurant nowadays! See Max’s video on how to make this dish here or see the ingredients and process at the end of this post, sourced from his website.

My experience making it:

Since I was cooking for two and not four, I halved the recipe. I used two chicken quarters, Taylor's Reserve Port, Flaschengeist Cognac, Pennypacker 2-Year Aged Bourbon, and Edelkirsch, since I couldn't find the usual clear Kirschwasser (a bit of a shock it was so hard to find here, since it's from Germany!), which is what the recipe is most likely referring to.

First, I preheated the oven and prepared some of the ingredients ahead of time: getting the egg yolk ready, mixing the alcohols in a bowl, and portioning out the cream and butter. Then, I began preparing the chicken for cooking by patting it dry with paper towel and rubbing it with salt and pepper. Then in an oven-safe, stainless steel pan, I heated up the butter until it was sizzling, adding in the chicken and cooking on both sides until lightly golden brown. I probably could have cooked them this way a little longer, as I didn't get quite enough browning as Max did, but I was a bit impatient. I tossed the pan in the oven and cooked until the chicken reached an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit, about 35 minutes, a bit shorter than what Max recommends. I threw on an oven mitt and removed it from the oven - the chicken looked great, and there was still lots of butter sizzling in the bottom! Unfortunately, here is where I made a very stupid mistake. Not used to putting a frying pan in the oven, I reflexively tried to grab the still-burning-hot handle to shift the orientation of the pan without an oven mitt. OUCH! I did get burnt - luckily not too bad. I won't be making that mistake again! I ran my hand under cold water for a while.

For the next few steps of the recipe, I was holding my one hand under the water periodically while trying to continue cooking with the other, somewhat successfully. I used some tongs to grab the chicken and put it on a plate to rest, covering it with tinfoil while I began making the sauce. I deglazed the pan with the alcohol mixture, using a whisk to get all the cooked-on chicken juices to release into the sauce. I simmered it much longer than the recipe called for, as it was taking a long time to reduce to half the amount of liquid. Meanwhile, I whisked the egg yolk into the heavy cream, then slowly added it into the pan, whisking constantly. While Max says to whisk vigorously to prevent the sauce from becoming lumpy, I didn't really have to mix it that much somehow. I was taking breaks to hold my hand under cold water for my burn, and lazily stirring with the other hand, and never had any lumps develop in the sauce. It did, however, take a decent while to thicken enough to coat the back of a spoon. I tasted the sauce as it was thickening (so, so delicious!) and added as much salt and pepper as I thought it needed. As it was finishing up thickening, I quickly made an orzo garden salad to accompany our Michelin chicken, my hand hurting less and becoming more useful again. I took the sauce off the stove, strained it (with a non-conical strainer), and served it in a cute little measuring jug, plating up the chicken with the salad. I poured a little sauce on the chicken, and dinner was ready! It looked so wonderful and homey, I couldn't wait to dig in.

My experience tasting it:

I cut straight into the chicken, making sure to sop up some sauce. The chicken was cooked perfectly, nice and tender, although it was not super warm after sitting for so long. Despite this, my first bite tasted absolutely fantastic. The sauce was silky and creamy, with a really unique flavour that must have come from the mix of port, cognac, whiskey, and kirsch. I was worried that this sauce would taste like alcohol, because there is a decent amount of it in there, but it must have cooked off quite a bit, leaving mostly the flavours behind. Like Max mentions, I couldn't identify the taste of any specific alcohol that I knew was in there. The flavour was just complex, earthy, with a nice amount of salt and pepper to balance it out. As I pulled apart my chicken, I poured more sauce on - it was so addictive! My husband and I both cleaned our plates, and I may have even used my finger to get every last remnant of it, it was so tasty. Luckily, we had a bit of leftover sauce, so I am excited to try it on another meal, maybe on some roasted potatoes. I think this dish may actually be my favourite Tasting History dish I have made yet, which is saying a lot, since there have been many I have really enjoyed! I will definitely make this again. It takes a bit of time, but it's totally worth it (even worth the burn!). I could specifically see myself making this when having a friend or two over for dinner, with a nice glass of red wine along with it. This Poulet Sauté aux Ducs de Bourgogne deserves every Michelin star it received! I can't wait to make it again. If you end up making this dish, if you liked it, or if you changed anything from the original recipe, do let me know!

Poulet Sauté aux Ducs de Bourgogne original recipe (1932)

Sourced from Les Secrets de La Mère Brazier by Eugénie Brazier (recipe from 1932, published in 1992).

Poulet Sauté aux Ducs de Bourgogne For 4 people 1.600 kg chicken porto cognac whisky kirsch crème fraîche eggs salt pepper butter Remove the chicken quarters and season with salt and pepper. Brown them in butter in a frying pan, then bake gently in the oven for 40 minutes. Remove the pieces and keep them warm. Deglaze the pan with a glass of port, a glass of cognac, a glass of kirsch and a glass of whisky. Allow to reduce and add 1/2 litre of crème fraîche in which 2 egg yolks have been mixed. Cook for a few minutes, whisking vigorously. Adjust the seasoning and strain over the chicken quarters. Serve on very hot plates.

Modern Recipe

Based on the recipe from Les Secrets de La Mère Brazier by Eugénie Brazier (recipe from 1932, published in 1992) and Max Miller’s version in his Tasting History video.

Ingredients:

3 1/2 lb (1 1/2 kg) chicken, quartered

Salt and pepper to taste

4 tbsp (56 g) butter

2 egg yolks

2 cups (475 ml) heavy cream

1 1/2 ounces (45 ml) port

1 1/2 ounces (45 ml) cognac

1 1/2 ounces (45 ml) whiskey

1 1/2 ounces (45 ml) kirsch

Method:

Preheat the oven to 400°F (205°C).

Sprinkle the chicken quarters with plenty of salt and pepper and rub it into the skin.

Heat the butter in a deep oven-safe pan, and once it’s sizzling, place the chicken pieces in it. Cook for a few minutes until they’re a light golden brown, then flip and brown on the other side.

Put the pan in the oven and cook for about 40 minutes, or until the chicken is done.

Transfer the chicken to a plate and cover it.

Return the pan with all the drippings to the stove. Deglaze it with the port, cognac, whiskey, and kirsch. Bring it to a simmer over medium heat and cook it until it’s reduced by about half, about 5 to 10 minutes.

Whisk the egg yolks into the heavy cream to combine. Add this mixture to the pan and whisk vigorously while it cooks for about 5 to 10 more minutes, or until it has thickened up. Whisk constantly, or the sauce will get lumpy. Taste, and add salt and pepper to your liking. When it has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon, pour it through a strainer. A conical strainer will be best for this if you have one.

Pour the sauce over the chicken, and serve it forth.