Bouchée à la Reine

Name: Bouchée à la Reine
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 90 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Luxembourgish
Ingredients: 4 large puff pastry vol-au-vent cases; 300g chicken breast, poached and diced; 150g veal sweetbreads, blanched and diced; 200g button mushrooms, sliced; 40g butter; 40g flour; 400ml chicken broth; 100ml heavy cream; 1 egg yolk; Juice of half a lemon; Salt, white pepper, nutmeg

Bouchée à la Reine (boo-SHAY ah lah REHN)

Queen-Style Vol-au-Vent

⏱ Prep Time 1.5 hours

📈 Difficulty Hard

👥 Servings

🔥 Calories 544 kcal

A crisp puff pastry shell filled with tender chicken, mushrooms, and sweetbreads in a velvety cream sauce, Luxembourg's beloved celebration dish.

Nutrition & Info

Protein 30.0g

Carbs 34.0g

Fat 32.0g

Protein Carbs Fat

Dietary

nut-free

Allergen Warnings

⚠ gluten ⚠ dairy ⚠ eggs

Equipment Needed

saucepan oven pastry cutter whisk

Presentation Guide

Vessel: individual plates

Garnishes: parsley sprig, pastry lid

Accompaniments: rice, green salad

Ingredients

4 large puff pastry vol-au-vent cases
300g chicken breast, poached and diced
150g veal sweetbreads, blanched and diced
200g button mushrooms, sliced
40g butter
40g flour
400ml chicken broth
100ml heavy cream
1 egg yolk
Juice of half a lemon
Salt, white pepper, nutmeg

Instructions

1
Bake vol-au-vent pastry cases at 200°C (400°F) until golden and puffed. Remove tops and hollow out.
2
Sauté mushrooms in half the butter until golden. Set aside.
3
Make a roux with remaining butter and flour. Gradually whisk in chicken broth to make a smooth velouté.
4
Simmer 10 minutes, then add cream. Mix egg yolk with lemon juice and stir in off heat.
5
Fold in diced chicken, sweetbreads, and mushrooms. Season with salt, white pepper, and nutmeg.
6
Fill warm pastry cases with the mixture. Top with pastry lids and serve immediately.

💡

Did You Know?

In Luxembourg, Bouchée à la Reine is so popular for celebrations that many families consider it more important than birthday cake.

Chef's Notes

Equipment Tips

saucepan
oven
pastry cutter
whisk

Garnishing

parsley sprig, pastry lid

Accompaniments

rice, green salad

The Story Behind Bouchée à la Reine

While French in origin, Bouchée à la Reine was adopted so enthusiastically by Luxembourgish home cooks that it became a national institution. Found on every celebration table from weddings to Christmas, the dish exemplifies Luxembourg's talent for absorbing French culinary refinement and making it entirely their own. The rich cream filling represents Luxembourgish generosity at the table.

🕐 Traditionally enjoyed sunday lunch, celebrations 📜 Origins: 18th century (French origin)

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