Chicken Forcemeat

Ingredients

• 0.5 cup Fine stale bread crumbs (Ensure the bread crumbs are very fine for a smooth texture.)
• 0.5 cup Milk (Whole milk is recommended for richness.)
• 2 tablespoons Butter (Unsalted butter is preferred.)
• 1 large Egg white (Use a fresh egg white.)
• 0.6666666666666666 cup Boneless, skinless chicken breast (About 1 small chicken breast, finely minced.)
• 0.25 teaspoon Salt (Adjust to taste.)
• 0.0625 pinch Cayenne pepper (A very small pinch.)
• 0.125 pinch Nutmeg (Freshly grated.)

Instructions

1. 1In a small saucepan, combine the bread crumbs and milk. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture forms a smooth paste.
2. 2Remove the bread crumb paste from the heat and stir in the butter until melted and fully incorporated. Allow the mixture to cool slightly.
3. 3Mince the raw chicken breast very finely. You can use a food processor for this, pulsing until it is almost a paste. Alternatively, pound the chicken with a meat mallet and then push it through a fine-mesh sieve or purée strainer.
4. 4In a bowl, beat the egg white until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the egg white into the cooled bread crumb mixture. Add the minced chicken, salt, cayenne pepper, and nutmeg. Mix gently until everything is just combined.
5. 5The chicken forcemeat is now ready to be used. It can be formed into quenelles and poached, used as a stuffing for other dishes, or cooked in a terrine. Cooking times will vary depending on the application.