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3195 Poulet Saute Catalane

The reason this is being posted separately from is appropriate chapter head is because this is the require classical dish for the ACF Student Hot Food Competition. Each team, 4 chefs and one alternate, is required to produce a 4 course meal of 4 plates (3 for tasting, 1 for critique) consisting of a fish starter, salad, classical entree, and dessert.

In a message to Travis briefly, I'd like to put the challenge out there to the group to produce this dish, plated, and take a picture. From their we can critique and learn more about this dish and hopefully help our young culinarians in this next years competition. Good luck everyone!

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Travis Smith on May 10, 2010 at 7:40pm

Yes, I'm in. How about you?

Permalink Reply by John Reed CEC, CCA on May 17, 2010 at 6:52pm

No I wasn't thinking about for a while.
There should be a good group.

Permalink Reply by Kevin C. Clarke, CCE on September 23, 2010 at 11:27am

Hello Escoffier fans - As the new competition season is now underway we are receiving more questions about the poulet catalan.

What is the correct consistency of the tomato fondue and should there be any color on the onions in the fondue. Escoffier does not mention color on the onions, but Larouse and Le Repertoire do? Is the fondue cooked until the moisture is just released from the tomatoes and concentrated, but the tomatoes themselves are not actually cooked until "dry"?

The dish calls for 3 chipolatas sliced in half for four plates - someone help with the math on that one?

Would you dust the chicken with flour before the saute? It is not mentioned in the poultet saute technique, but is it assumed that you would dust a white meat with flour before a saute?

Permalink Reply by Edward A. Jobin JII on September 23, 2010 at 11:51am

Does any one have a time capsule so we can talk to Chef Escoffier. All of these question are that same for myself. Is this similar to a castle? What are the Specs for plating? I do not think that flouring is necessary because of the skin that is attached?

Permalink Reply by Travis Smith on September 23, 2010 at 11:02pm

The chipolata garnish needs to make sense. As you know, every plate should be the same as much as possible. Better to place the same amount of chipolata sausage on each plate so as to give the equal portion than to give an unequal portion and risk question of the evaluator. Just cook the dish so it looks and tastes fantastic and is as close to the classical description and method as it can be while using your own common sense where counts on garnish items apply.

Anyone else have an opinion on the dish?

Permalink Reply by Travis Smith on September 23, 2010 at 10:56pm

Flour is not required for saute. The fondue made from tomato flesh cooked in a little oil with onion and then combined with red pepper strips needs to cook long enough to develop the flavor. If the tomato is not ripe then it requires longer cooking to develop the flavor. Ripe tomatoes require less cooking than the onion and the roasted pepper added toward the end requires just enough cooking to combine the flavors. Excellent flavor and proper cooking of the products based on their stage of ripeness and length of time required according to your good judgement will result in the right consistency and flavor of the fondue.

Permalink Reply by Travis Smith on September 25, 2010 at 5:35am

This link takes you to the ACF Culinary Competition Guidelines on the Classical Dish.

http://www.acfchefs.org/Content/NavigationMenu2/Events/Competitions...

Regarding the red pepper in the description on making fondue - it is found in the description for making tomato fondue for Tournedos Catalane.

Permalink Reply by Kevin C. Clarke, CCE on September 27, 2010 at 2:59pm

Thank you - we have also been looking at tomato fondue as describe in recipe 315 - which has no red pepper, and sauce provencal, recipe 72 - which has the addition of parsley.

Thoughts -

Permalink Reply by Travis Smith on September 27, 2010 at 5:27pm

At the end of the day if your dish is exceptional in flavor, texture, color, and temperature and you have followed closely to Escoffier's guidelines you can't go wrong. And; oh by-the-way, the chicken better be cooked to perfection as well. The amounts of garnish described for the dish indicate that it is for a portion of six. (I'd go with one onion and chestnut and 1/2 a chipolata.) As for the making of the fondue you can use either the provencale recipe or either of the fondue recipes we discussed above. Taste trumps authenticity but get it as close as you can. I do like the inclusion of the meat glaze for the provencale sauce and it is referred to as a fondue in the sub note. The ACF culinary competition reference to "swirling-in" of the fondue near the end really doesn't follow the guide by my interpretation. Perhaps you would be wise to address that directly with Chef Recinella.

Permalink Reply by Kevin C. Clarke, CCE on September 27, 2010 at 5:56pm

thanks for the guidance.

Permalink Reply by Sean Hastings on September 29, 2010 at 11:25pm

First off thank you to all contributors to this page. Our group has been using frozen chestnuts and poaching them for a few minutes in stock as per the recipe. The texture is always grainy and unappealing. Is this the way they are supposed to be? Am I cooking them wrong or is it the fact that they are frozen not fresh?

Permalink Reply by James Forbes on October 5, 2010 at 8:54am

My team is having trouble understanding the chicken butchering. According to the ACF website on butchering for this recipe, we are to remove the knuckles from either end of the drumstick as well as all the tendons. When we do this, the drumstick turns out looking like a bone with a sack of meat at one end. It does not have structure like the drumstick in the picture here; http://www.acfchefs.org/Content/NavigationMenu2/Events/Competitions...

Which way is correct?