As part of the "Eat Local" event this week I thought I'd break out the ole Ballantine. A deboned chicken that's stuffed, rolled and sliced. I picked up all the ingredients at local farms located between my house and the restaurant.For ballantines 0r gallantines (Gallantines are served cold but the method is the same.)you have to debone the bird in a way that leaves it intact as possible. I roast the bones and make a chicken demi to serve with it. I had some fresh thyme in the garden so I infused the demi with that. The filling is made with ground chicken, organic eggs, local vegetables and seasoned with parsley and thyme from the garden. I posted a video of the process on youtube and it should be on my video bar. I'm a little out of practice so the video is a little long.
The way I prepared this dish is exactly how someone would make it in the country side of France today or two hundred years ago. It doesn't get much better. No nitrogen, no xanthan gum, no trapeze to present it on. Straight forward simple food made with fresh local ingredients. That is my definition of world class cuisine.
Call me old school, I don't mind.
(Editor's Note: I'm amazed how many people find this site by googleing "gallantine". For those of you who would like to see a video of de-boning the bird for a gallantine go to youtube saltydog55252)
