Chaud-froid Sauce with Herb Infusion (Vert-pré)

Ingredients

• 2 decilitres white wine
• 1 pinch chervil leaves (pluches de cerfeuil)
• 1 pinch tarragon leaves
• 1 pinch chives (ciboulettes)
• 1 pinch parsley leaves
• Chaud-froid sauce base
• 1 litre final sauce volume
• natural spinach green (vert d'épinard naturel)

Instructions

1. Bring 2 decilitres of white wine to a boil. Add a pinch each of chervil leaves, tarragon leaves, chives, and parsley leaves (all in equal quantities). Cover and let infuse off the heat for 10 minutes. Strain through fine cloth.
2. Prepare the Chaud-froid sauce (a vegetable-studded aspic used to coat cold dishes) according to the standard method and proportions of the first formula. Add the herb infusion gradually in small portions during the reduction phase, which should be pushed to the point necessary to bring the total volume to 1 litre.
3. Complete the sauce by adding natural spinach green in small portions with care until the desired pale green tint is achieved.
4. This sauce is used for certain cold poached chicken preparations, particularly those known as "springtime Chaud-froids" (Chauds-froids printaniers).