Recipe: the Château de Chanteloup’s Sarthe-style casserole

At the Château de Chanteloup, the Dores family, who run this charming campsite estate near Le Mans, enjoy sharing recipes inspired by the local terroir and the region’s excellent produce.

Today they reveal one of their favourite dishes: a generous Sarthe-style casserole combining Loué chicken, rabbit, mushrooms and vegetables, gently coated in a creamy sauce flavoured with Jasnières wine, one of the great white wines of the Loire Valley.

Simple, rustic and elegant at the same time, this recipe celebrates local flavours and is perfect for a convivial family meal.

Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 35 minutes
Serves: 4 people

Ingredients

For the best flavour, try to choose good-quality produce, ideally from local producers.

• 700 g Loué chicken breast
• 120 g boneless rabbit leg meat
• 140 g fresh mushrooms
• 100 g ham
• 250 ml Jasnières white wine
• 250 ml veal stock (or strong meat stock)
• 200 ml cream
• groundnut oil
• walnut oil
• salt and pepper
• For the vegetables:
• 500 g cabbage
• 200 g carrots

Preparing the ingredients

Start by preparing the meats. Cut the chicken and rabbit into thin strips (aiguillettes) so they cook evenly.

Next, slice the mushrooms into small sticks and cut the ham into similar-sized pieces.

For the vegetables, finely shred the cabbage and cut the carrots into julienne strips, which will add both colour and texture to the dish.

Cooking the vegetables

Lightly salt the vegetables and cook them for about 10 minutes over steam.

Traditionally, a couscoussier is used, but a simple steamer basket or a colander placed over a saucepan of boiling water will work just as well.

The vegetables should be tender while still slightly crisp, providing a pleasant contrast to the richness of the sauce.

Set aside and keep warm.

Browning the meat

Heat a drizzle of groundnut oil in a large sauté pan.

Add the chicken and rabbit strips and cook them briefly, just long enough to firm them up and lightly colour the surface, without fully cooking them.

Drain off any excess oil, then season with a splash of walnut oil, which brings a delicate nutty flavour to the dish.

Immediately add the mushrooms and stir well. Then incorporate the ham and toss everything together in the pan a few times.

Remove the mixture from the pan and set aside on a plate.

Preparing the Jasnières sauce

In the same pan, pour in the Jasnières wine to deglaze and capture all the cooking juices.

Allow the wine to reduce until only about one quarter of the original volume remains. This concentrates its aromas and gives depth to the sauce.

Add the veal stock and the cream. Bring to the boil and cook for about one minute, until the sauce becomes smooth and lightly thickened.

Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper if necessary.

Bringing the dish together

Return the chicken, rabbit, ham and mushrooms to the pan.

Let everything simmer briefly so that the meat absorbs the flavours and the sauce coats the ingredients beautifully.

Serving

Serve the meat mixture generously coated with sauce in a warm dish, with the steamed vegetables arranged alongside.

The creamy sauce, enhanced by the delicate fruitiness of the Jasnières wine, pairs perfectly with the tender meats, while the vegetables bring freshness and balance to the plate.

A tip from the Château de Chanteloup

To stay true to the region, serve this dish with a chilled glass of Chanteloup.