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.
155 K 4.1/5 (42 reviews)
1 hour 25 min.
Easy
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
Change measures:
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 | 80 RDI=20 % | 80 RDI=5 % | 290 RDI=30 % | 3,260 RDI=120 % | 13,640 RDI: 120 % |
| Per 100 g | 5 RDI=2 % | 5 RDI=0 % | 20 RDI=2 % | 230 RDI=8 % | 950 RDI: 8 % |
| Per person | 20 RDI=6 % | 20 RDI=1 % | 70 RDI=8 % | 810 RDI=30 % | 3,410 RDI: 30 % |
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: Sliced chicken with mushrooms and broccoli, Mushroom tart, Crispy potato and mushroom brik rolls, Rabbit civet, Rustic chicken and mushroom pie, ... See them all 62
Cream
Like these other recipes: Grilled fillet of salmon with corn-salad cream, Gratin-style spinach and chicken omelette , Tartiflette, Chocolate muffins, Paté en croute (terrine in a pie crust), ... See them all 116
Chicken breast
Like these other recipes: Thai-style Chicken with Cashew Nuts, Chilli chicken and spinach gratin, Sliced chicken with mushrooms and broccoli, Shiro-goma salad, Escalope cordon bleu, ... See them all 29
Small pieces of bacon
Like these other recipes: Baby spinach salad, Oven omelette, Dipping bread with cheese, Green beans with tomatoes, Langres-style spinach, ... See them all 41
Other recipes you may also like
Tagliatelle and courgette spaghetti, carbonara style
Classic pasta: tagliatelle mixed with courgette "spaghetti", and like for carbonara, with a sauce of egg yolks, cream, lemon juice and fried ham.February 21th 2011303 K4.7 55 min.
Tahitian style fish
Little pieces of fish marinated overnight a night in lime juice.February 21th 2011277 K5 12 hours 60 min.
Salmon "en papillote" with small vegetables
A fresh salmon escalope just salt and pepper with small dices of small vegetables.June 22th 2011252 K 15 1 hour 30 min.
Express chilli con carne
This is a really express recipe, a "true" chilli is longer and more difficult to do.February 21th 2011400 K3.8 35 min.
Involtinis
Involtinis are small rolls of meat, usually veal, and cheese. Here is my version.February 21th 2011400 K4.4 2 hours 55 min.
News list of cooking-ez.com
Sign up to receive the latest recipes (next batch due to be sent on 2025-08-17)
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.