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Lenox Chicken
1 tablespoon granulated gelatine 3/4 cup hot chicken stock 3/4 cup heavy cream 1 1/2 cups cold cooked chicken, cut in dice 1/2 tablespoon granulated gelatine 2 tablespoons cold water Yolks 2 eggs 1 teaspoon salt 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar 1 teaspoon mustard 1/4 teaspoon pepper 2 tablespoons lemon juice 1 tablespoon vinegar 1/2 cup hot cream 1 1/2 tablespoons butter Whites 2 eggs 1/2 cup heavy cream 2 cups finely chopped celery Dissolve one tablespoon gelatine in chicken stock and strain. When mixture begins to thicken beat until frothy, and add three-fourths cup heavy cream, beaten until stiff, and chicken dice. Season with salt and pepper, turn into individual moulds, and chill. Soak remaining gelatine in cold water, dissolve by standing over hot water, then strain. Beat yolks of eggs slightly and add salt, sugar, mustard, lemon juice, vinegar, and hot cream. Cook over hot water until mixture thickens, add butter and strained gelatine. Add mixture, gradually, to whites of eggs beaten stiff, and when cold, fold in heavy cream beaten until stiff, and celery. Remove chicken from mould, surround with sauce, and garnish with celery tips.
A two-part cold entrée: a chicken cream set in individual moulds, ringed with a celery-flecked mousseline sauce. Nothing is difficult, but the two gelatine mixtures are set at different strengths and must not be confused.
- Read it as two recipesEverything from the first tablespoon of gelatine through the chicken dice belongs to the moulded chicken; everything from the half tablespoon onward belongs to the sauce. Assemble the two ingredient groups in separate bowls before starting.
- Gelatine strengthOne tablespoon of granulated gelatine is a little more than one modern envelope (an envelope is about 7 g, or 2¼ teaspoons), and will firmly set the 1½ cups of liquid plus the chicken. Older granulated gelatine may have been weaker than today's, so if you want a softer, spoonable cream use a scant tablespoon.
- Bloom the first gelatineThe instruction to dissolve the tablespoon of gelatine straight into hot stock will leave grains behind. Sprinkle it over a few tablespoons of cold stock or water for five minutes first, then stir into the hot stock and strain as directed.
- "When mixture begins to thicken"This is the hinge. Chill the stock mixture over ice until it has the body of raw egg white — about 15 minutes with stirring — then beat it frothy and fold in the whipped cream. Fold too early and the cream separates into a layer; too late and it sets into lumps.
- MustardThis means dry mustard powder, not prepared mustard. A teaspoon of English mustard powder is assertive; American ground mustard is milder.
- The custard baseCook the yolk mixture over simmering, not boiling, water until it coats a spoon, around 170–175°F. It will look thin next to a modern hollandaise; the gelatine does the setting.
- Raw whitesThe stiffly beaten whites receive the hot custard gradually but never reach a pasteurising temperature. Use pasteurised egg whites if serving anyone elderly, pregnant, very young or immune-compromised.
- Chilling and unmouldingGive the moulds at least four hours, or overnight. Dip each briefly in warm water and run a thin knife round the edge before turning out.
- YieldThe quantities suggest roughly six individual moulds. Both components can be made the day before and the sauce spooned round at the table, since it slackens if it stands warm.