ROLLS WITH PIGEON AND TRUFFLES

“This is delicious. What is it?” 

Jamie lowered the roll he had been about to take a bite of, and squinted at it. “Pigeon minced wi’ truffles,” he said, and stuffed it into his mouth whole. 

“No,” he said, and paused to swallow. “No,” he said again, more clearly. “That’s likely just a matter of a rival smuggler. There are two gangs that I’ve had a wee bit of difficulty with now and then.” He waved a hand, scattering crumbs, and reached for another roll. 

Voyager

Fragrant and savory rolls made by Madame Jeanne’s undoubtedly French cook to satisfy the discerning clientele of her fine establishment.

Serve one or two alongside a bowl of soup for a homey and satisfying meal, or cut them into 1-inch lengths for one-bite sausage rolls sure to be a hit at your next cocktail party. 

Makes eighteen 2-inch sausage rolls

INGREDIENTS

• ½ ounce (15 grams) dried morel or porcini mushrooms 
• 1 pound (450 grams) boneless, skinless chicken thighs, chopped 
• 2 strips bacon, cut crosswise into ¼-inch strips 1 large celery stalk, chopped 
• 1 large shallot, chopped 
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves 
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt 
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper 
• ¾ cup panko-style breadcrumbs 
• 1 recipe Short Crust Pastry, chilled
• 1 large egg

METHOD

Cover the dried mushrooms in boiling water and soak for 5 minutes. Lift the mushrooms from the water with a fork to leave the grit at the bottom of the dish. Press down on the mushrooms in a small strainer to remove as much moisture as possible. Chop coarsely. 

Combine the mushrooms, chicken, bacon, celery, shallots, thyme, salt, and pepper in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse eight to ten times, until the mixture is well combined and the texture of sausage meat. Scoop the sausage mixture into a bowl and mix in the breadcrumbs with your hands until well combined. 

On the counter, lay a piece of plastic wrap at least 24 inches long. Form half of the mixture into a long 18-inch log on top of the wrap and roll it up tightly in the plastic. Turn the ends of the wrap in opposite directions until very tight and secure with tape if necessary. Repeat with another piece of plastic wrap and the other half of the sausage mixture. Freeze both logs for 15 minutes while you roll out the pastry.

Move a rack to the lower-middle rung and heat the oven to 425°F. Beat the egg with 1 teaspoon water to make an egg wash.

On a lightly floured board, roll out the pastry into a rectangle 10 x 18 inches. Cut the pastry in half lengthwise so that you have 2 pieces measuring 5 x 18 inches. Unwrap one of the chilled logs and place along the long edge of the pastry. Brush the edge farthest from you with the egg wash, then roll the sausage log in the pastry, leaving about a ½-inch overlap. Pinch the seam firmly closed, then roll the seam to the counter and rock the sausage gently to flatten and even out the join. Repeat with the other sausage log and remaining pastry. 

Brush the tops and sides of the pastry with the egg wash. Using a sharp knife, cut each log into nine 2-inch pieces, and place seam side down on a parchment paper–lined baking sheet. Bake until golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. 

Cool at least 15 minutes on a wire rack before serving. Store leftovers in the fridge up to 3 days. Warm slightly in a 300°F oven to recrisp the pastry. 

NOTES

• Freeze the assembled, unbaked rolls up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the fridge before baking as directed.
• Substitute any dark poultry meat for the chicken thighs, including duck, game hen, quail, or even actual pigeon. (Look for squab, which is the common culinary name for farm-raised pigeons less than four weeks old.)