← Nouns Cooking · French

Ingredients

• 1.5 kg chicken, jointed into 8 (or 8 bone-in thighs)
• 25 g Dried morel mushrooms
• 30 g Butter
• 1 tbsp Vegetable oil
• 2 Shallot, finely chopped
• 250 ml vin jaune (or dry fino sherry mixed half and half with dry white wine)
• 300 ml double cream or crème fraîche
• 1 sprig Thyme
• Salt
• Black pepper

Method

1. Soak the morels in 300 ml warm water for 30 min. Lift them out, rinse well under the tap to remove grit and halve any large ones. Strain the soaking liquid through kitchen paper and keep it.
2. Season the chicken. Heat the butter and oil in a casserole over medium-high heat and brown the pieces for 8–10 min until golden all over. Set aside.
3. Lower the heat, add the shallots and cook for 3 min until soft. Pour in the wine and the morel liquid, scrape the pan and return the chicken with the thyme.
4. Cover and simmer gently for 25 min. Add the morels and cream and simmer uncovered for 15 min more, until the chicken reaches 75°C (165°F) and the sauce coats a spoon.
5. Lift out the chicken, boil the sauce for a few minutes if it needs thickening, season and pour back over. Serve with rice or fresh pasta.

Tips

• Vin jaune is pricey; a dry fino or amontillado sherry gives a similar nutty note.
• Always rinse morels thoroughly and cook them through; they are not safe raw.

Sources

Written in our own words after cross-checking these recipes:

The Good Life France French Cooking Academy