Recipe: Filled Patty Shells (chicken, ham, and mushrooms in Madeira sauce with tiny meatballs)

FILLED PATTY SHELLS
Source: The Belgian Cookbook by Nika Hazelton

Patty shells, made from puff pastry, can be bought in American supermarkets. Filled with a delicious, saucy mixture, they make an excellent and quite painless first course here, as in Belgium. Or else, the mixture may be served over plain rice or noodles.

1/2 pound lean beef, ground twice
Salt to taste
Freshly ground pepper to taste
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
3 cups chicken bouillon
2 cups finely diced cooked chicken, white parts only
1/2 pound finely diced smoked ham
1 cup sliced mushrooms, canned and drained or fresh and sauteed in 1 tbsp. butter
Grated rind of 1 lemon
Juice of 1 lemon
4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons flour
2 egg yolks
1/3 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoons Madeira
8 puff pastry shells, heated and ready for serving

Season the ground beef with the salt, pepper and nutmeg and mix thoroughly. Shape into tiny 1/4 to 3/4-inch balls.

Bring the chicken bouillon to the boiling point, lower the heat so that it will be simmering, but not boiling. Drop the meatballs into the simmering chicken bouillon. Simmer for 5 minutes, or until the meatballs are cooked. Drain the meatballs and keep them hot. Measure 2 cups of the bouillon and reserve it.

Combine the chicken, ham, and the mushrooms. Season with the lemon rind, the lemon juice, and salt and pepper, if needed.

Heat the butter, stir in the flour, and cook, stirring constantly, for about 2 minutes. Stir in the reserved 2 cups of chicken broth. Cook, stirring constantly, until the sauce is smooth and thickened. Remove from heat.

Heat the egg yolks and the cream together and stir the mixture into the sauce. Return to heat and over low heat, stirring constantly, cook for about 2 minutes or until heated through. Do not boil.

Add the chicken-ham-mushroom mixture and heat through, but do not boil. Remove from heat and stir in the Madeira.

Spoon the mixture into the hot patty shells and put them on a heated platter lined with a lace doily. Arrange the tiny meatballs on top of the sauce in the patty shells. Garnish with parsley sprigs and serve very hot.