Galantine & Ballonttine

Definition: A cold jellied loaf made of lean poultry veal, game, pork or fish mixed with forcemeat containing eggs, spices and various other ingredients in its own skin and tied. Galantines are cooked in a well flavoured stock and served cold as an entrée. The name comes from the old French galantine meaning felly.

The galantine is made up of:

1.        The skin as an outer layer

2.        Force meat

3.        Garnish

Recipe of galantine de volaille

v  Singe a large 2 kg chicken, cut of feet and pinions.

v  Slit the bird along the back, carefully separate the skin without tearing it from the carcass,                   including legs.]

v  Scrape the skin clean and soak in cold water.

v  Dry well and spread it out on a clean cloth.

v  De bone the carcass separating the flesh from the bones

v  Dice the flesh-keep aside.

 Now prepare forcemeat consisting of:-

1.  Finely minced or ground loin of pork 250gms.

2.  Finely ground shoulder of veal                       250gms.

3.  Diced fat bacon                                                   150gms.

4.  Diced ham

5.  Pickled tongue diced                                           150 gms. for garnish take

6.  The breast of the chicken cut into strips.             150gms.

7.  Blanched pistachio                                                 25 gms.         Marinated in brandy

 8.   Diced truffles                                                      50 gms.

To make forcemeat.

•   Take the chicken meat minced meat, and grind to a fine forcemeat along with 2 eggs, 30 ml brandy salt, spices and a little gelatine.
• Remove this force meat and with wet hands blend it together with the garnish consisting of diced ham, diced fat some pistachios, strips of Chicken breast and diced truffles.
• Shape into a ball and then into a rectangular block.
•  Place this block of forcemeat over the central third of the chicken skin and gently fold the chicken skin.
•   Soak a coarse linen cloth in water and wring it out, then spread it flat on the table. Place it so that a flap 20 cms wide hangs over the edge of the table.
•   Place the galantine horizontally on the cloth about 10 cms from the edge of the table.
•  Wrap the galantine in the cloth as tightly as possible, sausage shape.
• Tie both ends of the cloth securely.
• Tie the galantine with string in three places to keep it in shape.
• Bring to boil rich aspic stock add the galantine and poach for approx 1 ¾ hour.
•   Drain carefully, cool slightly, unwrap the cloth rinse it in luke warm water and wring                   thoroughly.
• Again spread it on the table and reroll the galantine and tie security, set to cool under a slight weight, till cold.
•  When cold, remove cloth, coat with aspic and decorate.  
•   Serve cold in slices with tarragon mayonnaise, along with a lively red wine such as Chinon.      

BALLONTTINE

A hot or cold dish based on meat, poultry, game birds, or fish. The flesh is boned, stuffed rolled and tied up with a string usually wrapped in muslin-similar to galantine then braised or poached.