Fricassee of Game Hen With Creamy Leeks and Vadouvan Recipe #322109
This recipe is from Epicurious and they say: "This fricassee couldn't be more French, but its velvety sauce carries the flavor of vadouvan, a South Indian spice blend that has started to crop up on Parisian menus. We find it irresistible.". Time given does not include making vadouvan (make a couple of days ahead and have ready)
by Annacia
1¾ hours | 1 hour prep
SERVES 6
FOR STOCK
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 6 cups cold water
- 1 medium carrot, finely chopped
- 1 celery rib, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 3 large fresh thyme sprigs
- 1 whole clove
- 1 turkish bay leaf (or 1/2 California)
- 1/8 teaspoon black peppercorns
FOR FRICASSEE
- 3 Cornish hens, quartered, reserve backbones and wing tips for stock, removed with kitchen shears
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 6 leeks, about 3 pounds (3 cups chopped greens reserved for stock )
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 2/3 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup mixed spice (vadouvan)
VADOUVAN
- 2 lbs onions, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 lb shallot, halved
- 12 garlic cloves, peeled
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
- 1 tablespoon thinly sliced fresh curry leaf (optional)
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1 teaspoon brown mustard seeds
- 3/4 teaspoon turmeric
- 1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- VADOUVAN:.
- (Make ahead).
- Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle.
- Pulse onions in 3 batches in a food processor until very coarsely chopped (there may be a few large pieces remaining), transferring to a bowl.
- Repeat with shallots, then garlic.
- Heat oil in a deep 12-inch heavy nonstick skillet over high heat until it shimmers, then sauté onions, shallots, and garlic (stir often) until golden and browned in spots, 25 to 30 minutes.
- Grind fenugreek seeds in grinder or with mortar and pestle. Add to onion mixture along with remaining ingredients, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper and stir until combined.
- Transfer to a parchment-paper-lined large 4-sided sheet pan and spread as thinly and evenly as possible.
- Bake, stirring occasionally with a skewer to separate onions, until well browned and barely moist, 1 to 1 1/4 hours.
- *COOKS NOTE: Vadouvan keeps in the refrigerator 1 month (cool before covering) or in the freezer 6 months.
- MAKE STOCK:
- Heat oil in a heavy medium pot over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Cook backbones and wing tips until well browned on all sides.
- Add water and bring to a boil, skimming froth occasionally. Add 3 cups reserved chopped leek greens, plus remaining ingredients and boil, uncovered, 30 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean saucepan, pressing on and then discarding solids.
- Boil stock until reduced to about 2 cups.
- MAKE FRICASSEE:
- Pat hens dry and season with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Heat oil in a deep 12-inch heavy skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers.
- Brown hens in batches (without crowding), turning once, about 8 minutes per batch. Transfer to a plate.
- Halve white and pale green parts of leeks lengthwise, then cut into 1-inch pieces and wash.
- Pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat from skillet, then cook leeks with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally and scraping up brown bits, until leeks begin to soften, about 5 minutes.
- Add wine and bring to a boil.
- Stir in stock, cream, and vadouvan. Nestle hens, skin sides up, into leeks. Cover with a round of parchment paper.
- Gently simmer 10 minutes.
- Remove parchment and simmer until hens are cooked through, about 10 minutes more.
- Transfer hens to a platter and simmer sauce to thicken slightly if desired.
- *COOKS NOTE: Fricassee can be made 1 day ahead and chilled. Reheat gently.
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5 stars