A true emblem of Southwestern French charcuterie, this bistro classic features chicken necks stuffed with a savory filling of pork, chicken liver and Armagnac. First gently poached in a simmering broth, then pan-fried in duck fat, they yield a golden, crispy skin that gives way to a tender, deeply flavorful center.
Ingredients
- 8 pieces whole chicken neck skins
- 350 g ground pork shoulder (20% fat)
- 150 g fresh chicken livers
- 1 piece yellow onion
- 2 cloves white garlic cloves
- 4 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 50 g crustless stale country bread
- 6 cl pasteurized whole milk (3.5% fat)
- 1 piece whole free-range egg
- 3 cl Armagnac AOP (40% ABV)
- 30 g duck fat
- 1.5 l chicken broth
- 8 g unrefined fine salt
- 2 g ground Madagascar black peppercorns
- 1 pinch ground Espelette pepper AOP
Method
- Place the crustless stale country bread in a bowl, drizzle with the pasteurized whole milk and mash with a fork to form a dense panade, then let it soak for a few minutes.
- Finely dice the yellow onion, then mince the white garlic cloves and the fresh flat-leaf parsley sprigs.
- Melt a small dollop of the duck fat in a skillet over medium heat, add the yellow onion and sweat for five to six minutes until thoroughly translucent and soft without browning, then add the minced garlic for an additional thirty seconds and remove from the heat.
- Clean and trim the sinews from the fresh chicken livers, then finely dice them with a knife into uniform pieces to maintain some texture in the filling.
- In a large bowl, combine the ground pork shoulder, diced fresh chicken livers, squeezed panade, cooled onion and garlic mixture, chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, whole free-range egg and Armagnac AOP. Season with the unrefined fine salt, ground black pepper and ground Espelette pepper AOP, then gently mix by hand until the filling is homogenous and well bound.
- Inspect the surface of the whole chicken neck skins to ensure there are no tears, gently scrape away any excess internal fat if necessary, then tightly tie the narrow end of each neck with butcher's twine.
- Using a piping bag without a tip or a small spoon, slide the filling into each chicken neck. It is crucial to fill them only three-quarters full without packing too tightly, leaving enough room for the meat to expand and the skin to shrink.
- Tie the second end of each neck securely with butcher's twine, then prick each piece lightly three times with a fine needle to allow steam to escape during cooking.
- Pour the chicken broth into a wide sauté pan and bring to a gentle simmer, between 80 and 85 °C. Carefully submerge the stuffed necks in the broth, adjust the heat to maintain small, steady bubbles without a rolling boil, then cover and poach for twenty-five minutes.
- Remove the stuffed necks from the broth using a slotted spoon, place them on a wire rack to drain and pat the surface dry with paper towels. Ladle some of the poaching broth into a small saucepan and reduce over high heat until it forms a glossy, syrupy glaze.
- Heat the remaining duck fat in a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. Once the fat begins to sizzle, add the stuffed necks and brown them on all sides for six to eight minutes until the skin becomes very crispy and takes on a beautiful mahogany color.
- Transfer the necks to a cutting board, cut and remove the twine from both ends, then let rest for two minutes before slicing into thick rounds. Arrange the slices on warm plates and drizzle with the reduced jus.
Nutrition
Per serving
- Energy
- 375.6 kcal
- Protein
- 34.51 g
- Carbohydrate
- 11.55 g
- Fat
- 19.21 g
- Fibre
- 0.83 g
- Calcium
- 24.83 mg
- Iron
- 3.37 mg
- Magnesium
- 10.64 mg
