Poulet aux Morilles
Instructions:
- l ounce dried morel mushrooms
- l cup hot milk
- l frying chicken, cut into 8 serving pieces
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon all−purpose flour
- l/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
- 1 1/2 cups dry white wine
- 2 tablespoons Cognac
- l cup Creme Fraiche
- Beurre manie (1 tablespoon all−purpose flour mixed with 1 tablespoon unsalted butter)
- Salt and freshly ground white pepper
- 2 cups hot cooked rice
- Creme Fraiche
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- Whisk the cream and sour cream together in a mixing bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature until thickened, about 8 hours.
- Put a filter in a coffee filter top or line a strainer with a double thickness of paper towels and set over a bowl. Scrape in the thickened cream.
- Let drain in the refrigerator, covered with plastic wrap, until very thick, at least 12 hours or up to 24 hours.
- Spoon the cream into a covered container and refrigerate. Creme Fraiche will keep in the refrigerator for 1 week.
- Cover the morels with the hot milk and let them soak for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, pat the chicken pieces dry with paper towels.
- Heat the oil and butter together in a skillet or saute pan large enough to hold the chicken in one layer without crowding.
- Cook the chicken pieces over medium−high heat until golden brown on both sides, about 10 minutes altogether. Transfer the chicken to a plate. Reserve.
- Strain the morel soaking liquid through a sieve lined with dampened cheesecloth.
- Squeeze the mushrooms with your fingers to force out as much liquid as possible. Reserve.
- Discard the cheesecloth with the sediment and set the liquid aside.
- Rinse the mushrooms under cold running water to remove any grit.
- Drain and squeeze dry. Cook them over medium−low heat in the fat remaining in the skillet for about 4 minutes, stirring often. Discard all the fat from the skillet.
- Return the chicken pieces in one layer to the skillet, adding any juices from the plate.
- Sprinkle with the flour and thyme and turn the pieces to coat.
- Pour in the wine, bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 15 minutes, turning the chicken once.
- Uncover the pan and simmer until the chicken is fork−tender, about 15 minutes more.
- To make the sauce, first remove the chicken and mushrooms with a slotted spoon to a bowl and cover loosely to keep warm.
- Degrease the pan juices. Whisk in the Cognac, mushroom liquid and Creme Fraiche.
- Cook, whisking, over low heat until smooth.
- The sauce should be just thick enough to coat a spoon. If necessary, whisk in the beurre manie, 1 teaspoon at a time, to thicken the sauce. Season to taste.
- Return the chicken, mushrooms and any liquid in the bowl to the pan.
- Stir to coat the pieces with the sauce and heat through. Do not let boil.
- Spoon chicken and mushrooms onto a serving dish and serve with cooked rice.