Bonnes-bouches is a traditional British recipe, based on Charles Elmé Francatelli's recipe of 1861, for a classic starter of a meat, butter, ham, mushrooms, parsley and shallot paste flavoured with spices, bound with egg yolks and lightened with beaten egg whites that is spooned into paper case and baked until set. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic British version of: Bonnes-bouches.
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This is a classic recipe for a Victorian version of Bonnes-bouches that's derived from the chef, Charles Elmé Francatelli's 1861 volume, The Cook's Guide and Housekeeper's & Butler's Assistant. Below you will find both the recipe in its original form and a modern redaction.
Original Recipe
No. 357.—BONNES-BOUCHES.
Take about half a pound of any kind of game—say the flesh of a grouse, partridge, rabbit, woodcock. or snipes, larks, &c.; cut this up in small squares, and it with an ounce of butter, a little ham, chopped truffle, mushrooms, parsley, and shalot; season with nutmeg, pepper and salt; and when done brown, pound thoroughly in the mortar with a good spoonful of sauce ; rub it through a wire sieve, and place the game purée thus produced in a small stew pan; add the yolks of four eggs, and the four whites whisked into a substantial froth; mix lightly, and with this preparation fill a dozen or more paper cases, see No. 325; egg over the tops with a paste-brush dipped in beaten white of egg, push them in a moderately-heated oven to bake for about twelve minutes, and as soon as done, dish up the bonnes-boucbes on a napkin, and serve immediately, for this delicate preparation is materially deteriorated in its lightness by being kept waiting any length of time before it is eaten.
Modern Redaction
Ingredients:
225g fresh game meat, finely diced
30g butter
2 slices of ham
1 truffle, chopped
4 mushrooms, chopped
1 tbsp parsley, minced
1 shallot, minced
freshly-grated nutmeg, to taste
salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
1 tbsp sauce or ketchup
4 eggs, separated
1 egg white, beaten
Method:
Pound together the game meat, butter, ham, truffle, mushrooms, parsley, shallot, nutmeg, black pepper and sauce in a mortar (or purée in a blender). Pass through a fine-meshed sieve with the back of a spoon. Take the game purée thus produced and place in a small bowl.
Stir in the egg yolks then whip the egg whites in a clean and dry bowl until they stand in stiff but not dry peaks. Fold this into the meat mixture. Use this mix to fill about 12 paper cases (see the recipe for savoury trifles for how to make these).
Brush the tops with beaten egg white then transfer to an oven pre-heated to 170°C and bake or about 10 minutes, or until cooked through.
Transfer the bonnes-bouches to a warmed plate and serve immediately.
