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.
165 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: Special Parmesan baguettes, Corn salad with croutons, Chicken and mushroom pie, Spinach and Mushrooms with Pesto, Sautéed oyster mushrooms, ... See them all 63
Cream
Like these other recipes: Green bean purée, Kervallon soup, Courgette tart with mint, Sardine and potato gratin, Country-style spring pasta, ... See them all 122
Chicken breast
Like these other recipes: Tex-Mex chicken burger, Sautéed turmeric chicken with mushrooms, Chicken fillets with cancoillotte sauce, Taos hotpot, Chorba, ... See them all 31
Small pieces of bacon
Like these other recipes: Spaghetti Carbonara, Aperitif rolls, Fillet of pollack cooked in two stages, African style chicken, Gratin du Nord, ... See them all 41
Other recipes you may also like
Blackcurrant liqueur
The fruit liqueurs (or "creams" in French) are a mix of neutral alcohol in which fruits are macerated, and sugar syrup. They are the basis of the very famous "Kir", mixture of dry white wine and blackcurrant liqueur. This recipe is for blackcurrant, but it can be made with other soft fruits like raspberries, strawberries, blackberries, etc. August 3rd 2013883 K 44.7 55 min.
Scrambled eggs with butter-fried bread and fresh spinach
Fresh spinach, butter-fried bread and scrambled eggs: simply delicious. March 18th 2013307 K3.8 2 hours
Naan
Naan is a type of Asian bread made from wheat flour. This kind comes from the Punjab region of India. September 25th 2011206 K4 3 hours 45 min.
How to poach peaches
To poach peaches, we begin rather like for tomatoes. To peel them, we boil them for a few seconds, then plunge them into cold water. Once the skin has been removed, they are poached gently in a light syrup. September 6th 2012246 K3 1 hour 50 min.
Chicken pie
Apart from the obvious chicken, this pie's puff pastry "lid" also conceals mushrooms, bacon, hard-boiled eggs and leeks. May 10th 2023133 K4.3 2 hours 30 min.
News list of cooking-ez.com
Sign up to receive the latest recipes (next batch due to be sent on 2026-03-01)
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.