Bouché a la Reine

Mushrooms and chicken in a delicious sauce, piled into a deep phyllo-and-almond pastry shell, and garnished with parsley. 

For two servings.

Ingredients: 1 sheet phyllo; 3 tbs butter; 1tbs slivered almonds; 1 shallot, finely diced; 1 cup sliced mushrooms; 1 cup diced cooked chicken (leftovers, normally, in this house); 1.5 tbs flour; chicken stock, approx 2 cups; seasoning; parsley, to garnish.

Method:

1. Heat oven to 180 degrees C. 

2. Melt 1 tbs butter, and use it to brush the phyllo. Divide the phyllo into 4, and use two each of the parts to line 2 deep ramekins, sprinkling the slivered almonds between the two layers of phyllo. Bake for five minutes or so until a golden brown. Set aside.

3. In the remaining butter, in a double boiler, soften the shallot, and then add to it the mushrooms. After ten minutes, sprinkle with flour and mix in, and then add the chicken and sufficient stock just to cover. Leave to cook gently, stirring from time to time, until the mixture has visibly thickened. Taste and season as needed.

4. Place each pastry shell on a serving plate and spoon into them the mushroom-chicken mixture. Garnish and serve.