Creamy tarragon chicken and quinoa vol-au-vent

Quinoa is a grain that’s high in protein and fibre. Not only is quinoa very versatile, it tastes delicious and has a great crunch. It can easily replace rice or pasta in many dishes. This chicken recipe can be adapted for people with chewing or swallowing problems by blending ingredients to the required consistency

Ingredients

500g chicken fillet
400g sweet potatoes
300g quinoa (dried)
300g mushrooms
300g young carrots
200ml cream or soy cream
1 tbsp pepper and salt
1 tbsp margarine
1 small bunch thyme
1 bay leaf
1 tbsp tarragon (dried or shredded) leaves in vinegar
3 tbsp instant binder
1l poultry or vegetable stock (ready-made)

Preparation

1. Dice the chicken fillet.
2. Peel and dice the sweet potato.
3. Dice the young carrots and mushrooms and blanch in stock until ‘al dente’. Drain through a sieve and rinse vegetables under cold running water.
4. Cook the quinoa in vegetable stock as indicated on the package.

Method

1. Melt the margarine in a pan and stew the blanched vegetables, together with the sweet potatoes. Add the thyme and bay leaf.
2. Leave to simmer for 5 minutes on a low heat.
3. Add the chicken cubes and leave to simmer for another 10 minutes.
4. Season with pepper and salt.
5. Moisten with the reserved cooking liquid (or ready-made stock) and bring to the boil.
6. Take the cooking pot off the heat when the vegetables, potatoes and the meat are tender.
7. Skim the vegetables and chicken cubes out of the stock and cover to keep warm.
8. Put the stock back onto the heat, add half the cream and bring to the boil.
9. Use the binder to thicken until the required consistency (lightly bound velouté sauce) and leave to simmer for another few moments on a low heat.
10. Add the vegetables and chicken cubes and bring back to the boil while stirring. Take off the heat.
11. Season with pepper and salt and just before serving add the finely shredded tarragon leaves (or dried tarragon leaves) and the remainder of the cream.
12.  Add the pre-cooked quinoa and serve.

Chewing and swallowing

• Level 6: use as prepared.
• Level 5: mash or grind the vegetables and chicken cubes, add 1 tablespoon sauce and stir well.
• Level 4 mix the vegetables and chicken together with the sauce until the required consistency.
• Level 3: mix and sieve the vegetables and the chicken cubes with sufficient sauce

Nutritional information
Nutrition per 100 grams

Energy ………………………………………………………………………67 kcal/280 kJ

Proteins…………………………………………………………………………………..4.6g

Total fat…………………………………………………………………………………3.7g

Saturated fat ……………………………………………………………………2.1g

Monounsaturated fat ……………………………………………………..1.1g

Polyunsaturated fat………………………………………………………0.3g

Cholesterol ………………………………………………………………….. 8mg

Carbohydrates…………………………………………………………………..3.7g

Sugars …………………………………………………………………………….2.0g

Fibres………………………………………………………………………………………..1.1g