Potage Saint Hubert (Christmas soup) - Testing

 pg 40 Country Foods of France by Elizabeth David

1 - Because I will more frequently have leftover chicken, I opted to halve the recipe. Given that, it'll be easy to double it for a whole pheasant, if ever such a thing happens to me in my lifetime.
for 8 4 people

The first attempt was quite successful, and I look forward to trying it again. This time, my fine sieve was in the wash, so I only used the blender. Now I wonder  if, after running it through the blender, I can get it to be even more fine. As it was, the chicken easily separated from the liquid, and I'd like to make it more creamy and uniform.

Interestingly, I have only found reference to Elizabeth David's recipe under this name. However, in looking around, I found other recipes of the same name with totally different ingredients, including no fowl at all. Curious.

I would like to try thickening agents to smooth the texture, like a finely ground cooked potato or a roux. I've added a note.

1 lb 8oz duPuys lentils
1 onion, chopped
1 leek, white parts sliced
2 sprigs thyme
1 bay leaf
?(5) cups water
?(3/4 tsp) salt

(1 Tbsp butter)

(1 Tbsp flour)

1 lb brown meat from chicken, turkey or goose or 1/2 pheasant
1 pheasant or 2lbs leftover goose or the brown meat of chicken or turkey
4oz 2oz cream

1. Make stock by cooking the lentils with the onion, leek, thyme and bay leaf in the salted water.
2. Either roast a pheasant or use mainly the brown meat from a roasted chicken or turkey, reserving some of the best parts to cube and add to the soup at the end.
3. Pound the meat into a paste. (see NOTE for alternatives)
4. Once the lentils are well cooked, reserve the liquid but strain out the lentils and add it to the chicken. Pass this through a fine sieve into a saucepan (or run it through a food processor).
5. Add the lentil stock until the desired soup consistency is achieved.

NOTE

If you don't want to to pound the meat by hand, I've tried the following:

1. Once the lentils are perfectly cooked, drain the liquid and set it and the lentils aside. 
2. Rinse and wipe the saucepan, melt the butter and whisk in the flour; cook until the fresh flour smell goes away and it just starts to blond. Over medium-low heat, stream in 1 cup of the liquor from the lentils while whisking, until it starts to thicken. Once thickened, whisk in the rest of the liquor. Remove from heat and whisk in the cream.
3. In a blender or food processor, combine the meat and the broth and process until smooth. 
4. Strain through a fine mesh sieve.
5. Reheat and serve.