The recipe for "poule au blanc"

In the heart of the Pays de Caux, gastronomy often intertwines with the history of great local figures. In Mont-Cauvaire, Placide Alexandre, the emblematic mayor from 1926 to 1971, remains inseparable from a landmark of Norman cuisine: la poule au blanc. This dish, which he prepares himself for illustrious guests such as the poet Francis Yard or Césaire Levillain, embodies a rural tradition defined by patience and exceptional ingredients.

A recipe inherited from tradition. Preparation begins with the rigorous choice of poultry. Master Alexandre recommends a "semi-mature" hen (demi-dure), aged two or three years, plump but without excess fat. After being bled and plucked, it is jointed on a chouquet (chopping block) with a well-sharpened hansard (cleaver) to avoid uneven pieces.

The secret of the "roui". Everything happens in an earthenware pot. You melt 60 grams of good salted butter over a low heat, to which a cube of sugar is added. The cook stirs without interruption until the mixture becomes roui (golden-brown). It is crucial not to let the roux turn dark brown, as this would spoil the radiance of the future cream. This base is then "quenched" with a spoonful of hot water before adding the pieces of hen, salt, pepper, and a few certifis (aromatics and vegetables). The poultry then simmers for three hours over a very low heat.

The delicacy of the white sauce. The final stage is the most perilous. For the white sauce, a quarter-litre of double cream (crème fleurette) is mixed with two egg yolks. Over an extremely gentle heat, the preparation is whisked with a fork until it takes on the smoothness of a cream. A little of the cooking juice from the pot is then incorporated. The golden rule is absolute: the sauce must never boil, at the risk of curdling or turning sour (surir).

A symbol of conviviality. When serving, the finest pieces and vegetables are coated with this velvety sauce in a deep dish. As Robert Delamare noted in 1953, this "true local dish" cannot be reheated; it is savoured in the moment, surrounded by friends, far from "vain quarrels". This recipe, passed down to Placide Alexandre by his mother, remains a living testimony to the Cauchois art de vivre.