Pâté de Chartres

01 / О БЛЮДЕ

Что это за блюдо

Исходное описание на английском языке. Русский перевод ещё не добавлен.

Pâté de Chartres is a very luxurious French meat pie, consisting of a sturdy, buttery pastry crust stuffed with a mix of wild game and a large chunk of rich foie gras, baked right in the center. Originating in the city of Chartres, legend says it was first created for a king in the 1500s, but it really took off in the 1800s when famous writers started raving about it, eventually becoming such a big deal that UNESCO recognized it as part of the official French cultural heritage. While traditional hunters used to make it using small wild birds, modern cooks usually rely on wild duck, pheasant, or partridge, mixing the game with some fatty pork and veal so it doesn't dry out in the oven. What makes it so special—and expensive—is that making a traditional one is a massive, four-day project. On the first day, the meats are chopped up and left to soak overnight in a mix of Cognac or Port wine, thyme, and bay leaves; on the second day, that soaked meat is mixed with cooked onions and shallots, seasoned, and left in the fridge to let the flavors blend. By the third day, the cook makes a tough, sturdy pastry dough using boiling butter and water, letting it rest before the final assembly on day four, where the dough is pressed into a mold, filled with the meat mixture, and the foie gras is tucked into the middle. It gets a pastry lid with a small hole poked in the top to let steam out, goes into the oven, and after it cools, the cook pours a savory, meaty liquid broth through the hole, which sets into a jelly to fill any air pockets inside the pie. When this incredibly rich and heavy pie is finally ready, it is served cold in thick slices, usually with something sharp and tangy, like pickled black cherries, to perfectly balance the flavor.