What does it mean that the poularde is "steam-roasted"?

The bird is first browned in butter in an iron pot, and then cooked on slowly in the pot with vegetables, broth, and Madeira, covered, so that it becomes tender in steam/stock rather than in dry oven heat. Figure on around 2.5 hours total.

Why is the bird rubbed with lemon and dipped in boiling water?

The lemon on the breast and legs makes the meat lighter and fresher in flavor, and a quick dip in boiling water firms up the skin so the bird holds its shape and takes on a nicer color during browning.

Can I use something other than poularde or capon?

The recipe calls for a poularde or capon, that is, a large, fat young bird. An ordinary large chicken can be used, but it is less fat and needs less time.

What does the sauce consist of?

The stock in the pot — hen or veal broth, 1 dl Madeira, and 3 dl brown gravy — together with the chopped vegetables (carrot, red onion, celery) and the ham, seasoned with salt and pepper. Truffles are used both for larding and flavor.

Steam-Roasted Poularde à l'aurore

Erken's 1914 party dish: a poularde (a fattened young hen) or capon rubbed with lemon, larded with truffle, covered with pork, browned in butter, and steam-roasted with root vegetables, ham, and stock, finished with Madeira. The sauce is strained off the vegetables with brown gravy. Served sliced with potato baskets filled with vegetables.

Source: Henriette Schønberg Erken, Stor kokebok, 1914-utg. s. 280 (falt i det fri)

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About the dish

The recipe appears in the chapter on hens, where Erken explains the difference between ordinary hens, capons, and poulardes. Poulardes are young, fattened hens that were considered especially fine table fare, and the dish is a party dish with Madeira, truffles, and brown gravy.

How to make it

1
Prepare the bird
Clean the poularde in the usual way. Rub the breast and legs with the cut lemon, and dip the breast and legs for a moment in boiling water.
2
Lard and season
Lard the bird with truffle strips and rub it inside and out with salt and pepper. Truss the poularde, lay the slice of pork over the breast, and tie it in place with kitchen string.
3
Brown the bird
Brown the butter in an iron pot, put in the poularde, and brown it nicely on all sides. Take it out.
4
Vegetables and steaming
Clean and finely chop the carrots, red onion, and celery. Put them in the pot together with the ham, set the bird on top with the breast up, and pour in 2.5 dl stock. Let it cook, covered, until the stock has cooked down.
5
Roasting
Pour in the rest of the stock, set the pot uncovered in a hot oven (about 200 °C (390 °F)), and roast the poularde until tender. Baste with the stock every 10 minutes. Pour over the Madeira 5 minutes before the bird is done.
6
The sauce
Take the poularde up onto a warm platter. Add the brown gravy to the vegetables in the pot, let it boil 10 minutes, and strain through a cloth wrung out in boiling water. Skim off all the fat, boil up the sauce, and season with salt and pepper.
7
Serving
Carve the poularde neatly and lay the pieces together so the bird looks whole. Arrange potato baskets filled with assorted vegetables around it. Serve the sauce separately.

Changes from the original

Measurements are converted to modern units (deciliters, grams, liters), "brown gravy" is given as brown stock/gravy, and pork as fresh, unsalted side pork. The roasting temperature is given in degrees, which the original does not specify. The truffle amount is given as optional.

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Frequently asked questions

What does it mean that the poularde is "steam-roasted"?: The bird is first browned in butter in an iron pot, and then cooked on slowly in the pot with vegetables, broth, and Madeira, covered, so that it becomes tender in steam/stock rather than in dry oven heat. Figure on around 2.5 hours total.
Why is the bird rubbed with lemon and dipped in boiling water?: The lemon on the breast and legs makes the meat lighter and fresher in flavor, and a quick dip in boiling water firms up the skin so the bird holds its shape and takes on a nicer color during browning.
Can I use something other than poularde or capon?: The recipe calls for a poularde or capon, that is, a large, fat young bird. An ordinary large chicken can be used, but it is less fat and needs less time.
What does the sauce consist of?: The stock in the pot — hen or veal broth, 1 dl Madeira, and 3 dl brown gravy — together with the chopped vegetables (carrot, red onion, celery) and the ham, seasoned with salt and pepper. Truffles are used both for larding and flavor.

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