Velouté is a smooth white sauce or soup made with a rich fish, meat, or poultry stock and finished with cream. The garnish can be a classic julienne of vegetables named after Julienne Darbley, an 18th century French lady, or in this case a chiffonade of lettuce and diced mushrooms. Make sure you have a good, flavorful stock for the velouté. If needed add some chicken base to the stock to strengthen it and salt according to the saltiness of the stock. For a fish velouté, replace the chicken stock with fish stock.

Velouté of Chicken with Lettuce and Mushrooms

Category

Category name

Serves

4

Ingredients

  • 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 7 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 4 cups rich chicken stock
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • ½ cup heavy cream
  • 3 cups chiffonade lettuce
  • 3 to 4 mushrooms, diced
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Method

  1. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk until combined and foamy. Continue to cook, whisking until the roux cooks to a straw color, about 1 minute. Increase the heat to high and add the stock, whisking continuously until smooth. Bring to a boil whisking, then lower the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 5 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, combine the lettuce, mushrooms, salt and pepper in a microwavable glass bowl and microwave on high until the lettuce is wilted and the mushrooms are tender, about 3 minutes.
  3. To finish the soup, add the cream and wilted lettuce and mushrooms, stirring, then taste and adjust the seasoning. Ladle into warm bowls and serve with a warm crusty baguette.