Ingredients
For 6 people
1 approximately 1.8 kg free-range chicken
1 kg of live crayfish
6 shallots
4 carrots
4 tomatoes
4 garlic cloves
75 cl (1 bottle) of dry Jura white wine (or Savoie white wine)
50 g of choux pastry
50 g of double cream
thyme
bay leaf
salt
pepper
tarragon
nutmeg
cognac
Instructions
1. Split the crayfish in half after removing the tail vein. Empty the shells into a bowl and set them aside with the carapaces. Blend the tails with the choux pastry and add the cream, lightly season with salt, black pepper, and nutmeg.
2. Fill the shells with this mousseline using a piping bag. Set aside. If there is any filling left, make small quenelles (with two dessert spoons) that will then be poached with the shells and served at the same time.
3. Cut the chicken into pieces, keeping the carcass, and flash fry the pieces in a little olive oil. Cut the vegetables into a brunoise – shallots, carrots, garlic, tarragon, thyme and bay leaf – (brunoise = very small pieces) and divide them in half. Cut the carcass into pieces and fry it with half of the vegetables and two chopped tomatoes. When everything is well cooked, flambé with 5 cl of cognac and add half of the white wine. Reduce by half.
4. Repeat with the carapaces of the crayfish tails and the remaining shells. When the shells are red, add cognac, then boil and flambé before adding the chopped tomatoes and the remaining white wine. Reduce by half.
5. Strain both sauces through a fine sieve, pressing well, then pour everything into the pot containing the chicken wings and thighs.
Lastly, cook for 5 minutes over medium heat, then add the stuffed shells. Continue cooking to poach the shells and finish cooking the chicken for approximately 15 minutes. Serve hot with Creole rice.