This site uses only a few technical cookies necessary for its operation. By continuing to browse, you accept their use.
To find out more...
To find out more...
Vol-au-vent
The classic vol-au-vent of French cuisine consists of a very light puff pastry case (supposedly so light that it could fly off in the lightest puff of wind) with a cream-based filling.
There are many different recipes for fillings. This version uses bacon, chicken, mushrooms and leeks.
There are many different recipes for fillings. This version uses bacon, chicken, mushrooms and leeks.
164 K 4.1/5 (43 reviews)
1 hour 25 min.
Easy
7.65 €
4 people
12 IngredientsLast modified on: October 20th 2013
For 4 people, you will need:
- 1
1 leek - 2
½ onion - 3
300 g mushrooms - 4
½ lemon - 5
150 g small pieces of bacon - 6
1 tablespoon vinegar - 7
200 g chicken breast - 8
250 ml cream - 9
6 tablespoons olive oil - 10
4 vol-au-vents cases - 11
salt - 12
pepper - Total weight: 1,435 grams
Times for this recipe
Preparation: 40 min.
Cooking: 45 min.
All in all: 1 hour 25 min.
If you start now, at , you will finish around : ?.Change start time
To finish around 7pm, you'll need to have started before: .Change end time
Step by step recipe
Stage 1 - ⌛ 20 min.
Stage 2 - ⌛ 5 min.
Pour 2 tablespoonsful of olive oil into a frying pan on medium heat. When hot, add the chopped onion, salt and pepper. Cook for 1 minute without colouring.
Add the leek, salt and pepper again, stir well and cook until the leek is just cooked but still a fresh green.
Set aside.
Add the leek, salt and pepper again, stir well and cook until the leek is just cooked but still a fresh green.
Set aside.
Stage 3 - ⌛ 5 min.
Wash and chop the mushrooms into small pieces (these are shiitake, but you can use others, particularly wild ones: morels, chanterelles, etc.).
Stage 4 - ⌛ 5 min.
Using the same pan on medium heat, pour in 2 tablespoonsful of olive oil. When hot, add the mushrooms, salt and pepper and cook briefly (they should not have time to soften much).
At the last minute, add the juice of half a lemon.
Set aside.
At the last minute, add the juice of half a lemon.
Set aside.
Stage 5 - ⌛ 8 min.
Still using the same pan, fry 150 g small pieces of bacon.
At the last minute, add 1 tablespoon vinegar.
Set aside.
At the last minute, add 1 tablespoon vinegar.
Set aside.
Stage 6 - ⌛ 10 min.
Cut 200 g chicken breast into small pieces.
Pour 2 tablespoonsful of olive oil into the frying pan and fry the chicken pieces after seasoning.
Pour 2 tablespoonsful of olive oil into the frying pan and fry the chicken pieces after seasoning.
Stage 7 - ⌛ 2 min.
When they are browned, tip the bacon and mushrooms back into the pan on top.
Stage 8 - ⌛ 15 min.
Stage 9 - ⌛ 5 min.
Leave the sauce to reduce on low heat.
.When the mixture has thickened, add the leek then turn off the heat (this will help the leek to stay green).
.When the mixture has thickened, add the leek then turn off the heat (this will help the leek to stay green).
Stage 10 - ⌛ 8 min.
Reheat the 4 vol-au-vents cases for 5 minutes in the oven. Place a pastry case on each plate and fill until slightly overflowing.
Serve immediately on its own or with pilau rice, for example.
Serve immediately on its own or with pilau rice, for example.
Remarks
The vol-au-vent was invented by the great chef Antonin Carême in the early 19th century.
I maintain (admittedly with a certain caution) that the French "bouchées à la reine" (literally, the Queen's mouthfuls) are simply small, bite-sized vol-au-vents.
I maintain (admittedly with a certain caution) that the French "bouchées à la reine" (literally, the Queen's mouthfuls) are simply small, bite-sized vol-au-vents.
And to drink?
A light Beaujolais.
Keeping: The filling will keep for several days in the fridge, but once the vol-au-vent is filled, only a few
Source: Home made.
Nutritional information
| Proteins (gr) | Carbohydrates (gr) | Fats (gr) | Energy value (in k-calories) | Energy value (in k-joules) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whole recipe | 200 RDI=80 % | 940 RDI=90 % | 1,090 RDI=170 % | 3,260 RDI=160 % | 13,660 RDI: 160 % |
| Per 100 g | 10 RDI=5 % | 70 RDI=6 % | 80 RDI=10 % | 230 RDI=10 % | 950 RDI: 10 % |
| Per person | 50 RDI=20 % | 230 RDI=20 % | 270 RDI=40 % | 820 RDI=40 % | 3,410 RDI: 40 % |
How much will it cost?
- For 4 people : 7.65 €
- Per person : 1.95 €
Change currency:
Note: Be careful, these prices are only an estimate, you can consult the table of prices by ingredients used for this estimate.
This recipe uses (among others)
Mushrooms
Like these other recipes: Broken eggs with mushrooms, Mushrooms à la grecque, Stuffed mushrooms au gratin, Breton leek and mushroom tart, Smoked haddock and leek fondue tartines, ... See them all 63
Cream
Like these other recipes: Cassoulet-style shepherd's pie., Hearty leek and sprout soup, Chocolate rolls (petits pains), Chocolate-verbena cream, Chocolate muffins, ... See them all 122
Chicken breast
Like these other recipes: Spicy chicken skewers, Tex-Mex chicken burger, Warm chicken salad, Sliced chicken with mushrooms and broccoli, Taos hotpot, ... See them all 31
Small pieces of bacon
Like these other recipes: Split peas "à la française", Cocotte eggs with Comté, Bacon rolls, Aperitif rolls, Dipping bread with cheese, ... See them all 41
Other recipes you may also like
Five hours poultry
Perhaps simplest recipe on this site, but what a result! The idea is to cook the bird, without fat, at low temperature, covered, and for a long time. In this way, the poultry cooks so as to be almost like a "confit": soft and very tasty. The effect is more spectacular with duck because it is a rather firm meat, tough even, but with this method it can be cut with a fork like a confit. This recipe is applicable to big poultry too, it's also a response to questions like "How to cook a turkey?" or... January 27th 2012557 K3.8 5 hours 15 min.
Quail egg canapés
This starter is a small canapé consiting of a toasted and buttered bread slice covered with a slice of smoked ham topped with a fried quail egg. February 21th 2011346 K5 55 min.
Cauliflower curry
Plenty of flavour in this cauliflower curry: from the hot spices, of course, but also from dry-roasted cashew nuts. January 19th 2014153 K4.8 55 min.
Financiers
This delicious little cake gets its name from its shape, in the form of a gold ingot. April 14th 2020348 K 24.6 20 min.
Macarons (the original French macaroons)
This recipe really is "of the moment": the success of these small, highly-coloured cakes, in an infinite variety of flavours, is impressive. It's a recipe which needs some care, in order to produce a result worthy of a professional pastrychef. No problem, I will guide you through the recipe, particularly the tricky parts. This variety of flavours means that I test many alternatives, so don't be surprised if in the pictures the colour of the macarons changes, I used the best photograph available... October 3rd 20191.61 M 714.6 2 hours 40 min.
News list of cooking-ez.com
Sign up to receive the latest recipes (next batch due to be sent on 2026-01-25)
Note: We'll never share your e-mail address with anyone else.
Post a comment or question
Follow this recipe
If you are interested in this recipe, you can "follow" it, by entering your email address here. You will then receive a notification immediately each time the recipe is modified or a new comment is added. Please note that you will need to confirm this following.
Note: We'll never share your e-mail address with anyone else.
Alternatively: you can subscribe to the mailing list of cooling-ez.com , you will receive a e-mail for each new recipe published on the site.