Vol-au-Vent
A puff-pastry case filled with creamy chicken, mushrooms and small meatballs, commonly served with fries.
- prep
- 30 min
- cook
- 25 min
- total
- 55 min
- serves
- 4
- level
- hard
Vol-au-vent, called koninginnehapje in Dutch, piles a creamy chicken, mushroom and meatball ragout into a tall puff-pastry case, a dish that sits somewhere between elegant and genuinely homey.
It's a Sunday lunch classic in Belgium, nearly always served with a side of fries rather than anything lighter.
Part of our 20 best Belgian recipes list.
method
If using store-bought puff pastry cases, bake according to the package instructions until golden and puffed; keep warm.
Sauté the mushrooms in a little butter over medium-high heat until golden and any liquid has evaporated. Set aside.
Melt the remaining butter in a saucepan, whisk in the flour, and cook for a minute to form a roux.
Gradually whisk in the chicken stock, and simmer until thickened, about 5 minutes.
Stir in the cream, and simmer for another 2 minutes, then season with nutmeg, lemon juice, salt and white pepper.
Fold in the cooked chicken, mushrooms and small meatballs, and warm through gently, about 5 minutes.
Spoon the creamy filling generously into the warm pastry cases, scatter with parsley, and serve immediately with fries.
chef's tips
- Keep the filling thick enough to mound inside the pastry case without running out; if it looks loose, simmer it a little longer to reduce.
- The pastry cases turn soggy fast once filled, so fill and serve them within a few minutes of each other, not in advance.