Fowl "en Vessie"

[ulterior epicure]

I recently returned from a trip to Europe where I had fowl "en vessie" a couple of times. For those who are not familiar with this preparation, it involves poaching a whole bird inside of a bladder, rendering the meat succulent and juicy.

At Guy Savoy, it was pintade (or guinea fowl). CLICK HERE.

At Paul Bocuse, it was volaille de Bresse with black truffles. CLICK HERE.

Both times, the meat was served with a cream sauce, rice, and buttered vegetables. It is not a complicated dish. In fact, it is quite simple and comforting - not far off from other cultural variations like Americanized chicken and rice.

Aside from the spectacle of the table-side presentation and the pomp and circumstance of carving and plating, the best thing about this dish, for me - both times - was the cream sauce.

At Guy Savoy, the cream sauce was full, earthy, and notably sweet. At Paul Bocuse, the flavor was not as rich and full as at Guy Savoy, but it was just as sweet and came with a generous helping of morels, which had been simmered in the cream sauce and presented with the sauce, table side. I'm assuming that the sweetness in the sauce - not overly sweet, but definitely a key component - resulted from whatever alcohol was used as a base for the wine.

I have no Savoy or Bocuse cookbooks. Can anyone direct me to a recipe for either version? Or, if there is a common recipe for this type of sauce, I'd appreciate a link or reference. I have a significant library of cookbooks that leans - heavily - American.

Thanks, in advance!

[Magictofu]

I don't have the book but from what I have read online, you might find the recipe in "Paul Bocuse, La cuisine du marché, Flammarion (1976)".

I also found a recipe in French. Here, the sauce is made with foie gras and Juras wine.

Another recipe, also in French, with lots of pictures can be found here. Here vin jaune is also used and the author explains that you can finish the sauce with butter or foie gras.

Let me know if you need me to translate something particular.

[docsconz]

I could see how a specific sauce can really make this dish, as I found a self-sauced one with poularde de Bresse to be a nice chicken soup.

[ulterior epicure]

I don't have the book but from what I have read online, you might find the recipe in "Paul Bocuse, La cuisine du marché, Flammarion (1976)".

I also found a recipe in French. Here, the sauce is made with foie gras and Juras wine.

Another recipe, also in French, with lots of pictures can be found here. Here vin jaune is also used and the author explains that you can finish the sauce with butter or foie gras.

Let me know if you need me to translate something particular.

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Yes, it was very much like a vin jaune sauce, but a touch sweeter, if my taste buds are reliable.

[Magictofu]

I found a few other recipes calling for Madeira wine (the first here and the other one by Alain Chapel here) .

Another one (here), by Michel Guérard, using fruits (apples and grapefruit).

[ulterior epicure]

I found a few other recipes calling for Madeira wine (the first here and the other one by Alain Chapel here) .

Another one (here), by Michel Guérard, using fruits (apples and grapefruit).

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Thanks, Magictofu. I am digging through my pile of French cookbooks right now, hoping to stumble across a vin jaune sauce recipe, or one similar to the one I had with the pintade. I think I preferred that version to the one at Bocuse.

[Magictofu]

If you can wait a bit longer, I can translate some of the recipes above.

[ulterior epicure]

If you can wait a bit longer, I can translate some of the recipes above.

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No need. I'm proficient in French. Thanks for the offer.