25 Jul 2011 Comments Off
Chicken Gratin with Crunchy Topping
I made this dish for a fundraising evening in February. It is easy to make, absolutely delicious and you can make it the day before.Serves 6 greedy people or 8 abstemious guests!
6 chicken fillets
chicken stock (homemade if possible)
8-10 leeks
4 celery sticks
4 oz butter
2 oz plain flour
4 fresh sprigs thyme, or 2 tablespoons dried thyme
2 or 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
4 fl oz white wine
Half a pint of crème fraiche
8 oz gruyere cheese, mostly cubed, leave some to grate for the topping
Fresh breadcrumbs
Oven 180c, 350 F, gas 4.
Poach the chicken fillets in a little white wine, wrapped in foil. Don’t over cook them because they are being cooked again with the sauce. Keep the juices and white wine to one side.
Cut into chunks and arrange in a large ovenproof baking dish.
Wash the leeks and celery, slice diagonally and put over the leeks. You can par boil them but I like to have some crunch left when eating this dish! Sprinkle over the cubed gruyere.
To make the sauce; melt the butter in a non stick pan, add the flour to make a roux and cook for a couple of minutes. Carefully pour in the chicken stock, stirring all the time until it thickens. Add the mustard, white wine and chicken juice, and finally the crème fraiche until it is all combined and you have a creamy sauce.
Pour over the chicken and gruyere. If you are making this the day before, cover with clingfilm and refrigerate. Add the topping tomorrow.
Combine the breadcrumbs and thyme, (salt and black pepper if you like) and scatter over the top of the chicken like a crumble, and finally grate the rest of the cheese over the top of the breadcrumbs.
Put in the middle of the oven, on a baking tray to catch the escaping sauce if it overflows, and cook for about 40 minutes, until the topping is browned and the sauce bubbling.
I served this with new potatoes and purple sprouting broccoli, but would be just as nice with salad for a lunch dish.
