Poularde demi-deuil – truffle under the skin

Black truffle slices, slipped under the skin, tint the poached poularde a noble half-mourning grey and season the meat down to the fibre. A Lyonnaise classic that needs no browning at all and yet tastes deeply festive.

Poultry Category

30 MIN Prep time

75 MIN Cook time

4 people Servings

Preparation

Truffle under the skin

With your fingers, carefully loosen the skin over the breast and legs from the meat without tearing it, and slide the truffle slices evenly underneath. Wrap the poularde in cling film and chill for at least 1 hour, so the truffle aroma penetrates the meat.

Prepare the poaching stock

Put the chicken stock on with the carrot, leek, celeriac, clove-studded onion and bay and simmer gently for 15 minutes. Season lightly with salt.

Poach gently

Lay in the poularde — it should be barely covered — and poach it over the lowest heat for 60 to 70 minutes. The stock must never bubble, only quiver gently, so the meat stays juicy and white.

Make the sauce suprême

Melt the butter, stir in the flour and sweat it pale for 2 minutes. Pour in 300 ml of the strained poaching stock and cook creamy for 5 minutes. Whisk the cream with the egg yolk, stir it into the sauce (do not boil again) and season with lemon, salt and white pepper.

Plate up

Carve the poularde, nap it with the sauce suprême and serve with some of the vegetables. Rice or a fine potato purée rounds off the plate.

Why this wine?

The Louré meets the creamy sauce suprême as an equal, with substance and cool minerality; the truffle gains a calm, saline echo without overpowering the delicate poularde.

Good to know

Tips & insights

Carefully slide the truffle slices under the skin of the poularde and let it rest a day in the fridge.
Poach the poularde only gently in the stock, never at a rolling boil, so the meat stays tender.
Use the strained poaching stock for the sauce suprême; it carries all the aroma.
Do not boil the sauce again once the egg yolk and cream are in, or it will curdle; just let it draw.
If fresh winter truffle is unavailable, a little truffle oil used sparingly gives a fine note.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which wine goes with poularde demi-deuil?

The Louré. Its body and cool minerality meet the creamy sauce suprême as an equal and give the truffle a calm, saline echo, without overshadowing the delicate poularde. If you prefer red, the Sarabande offers soft tannin and dark fruit for the earthy truffle note.

Why is the dish called demi-deuil?

The name means half-mourning and plays on the image of the black truffle slices beneath the pale skin. That marking is also the culinary principle: the truffle draws its aroma into the flesh as it rests. So slide the slices under the skin a day in advance.

How does the poularde stay juicy?

Poach it in plenty of stock over very gentle heat, so the liquid only just trembles. That way the meat cooks evenly and does not dry out. After cooking, let the poularde rest briefly in the warm stock before you carve it and serve it with the sauce.

What side dish goes with it?

Rice or fine pasta to take up the sauce suprême are classic, along with the root vegetables cooked with it. A potato purée suits it too and keeps the plate calm. Keep the side plain, so truffle and sauce stay at the centre and do not compete with strong flavours.

The wine to pair