Chicken With Vin Jaune And Morels Food

CHICKEN WITH VIN JAUNE AND MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• Place the morels in a small bowl, add hot water to cover, and set aside to soak. Meanwhile, season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper. In heavy flameproof casserole over medium heat, heat the olive oil and 5 tablespoons of the butter.
• Add the chicken and onion, and sauté, turning occasionally, until the chicken is browned on all sides, about 15 minutes. Add 1 cup vin jaune, or 1/2 cup white wine and 1/2 cup sherry, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and cook over low heat for 45 minutes; 15 minutes before the chicken is ready, prepare the mushrooms.
• Drain the morels, reserving and straining the soaking liquid. Place a large skillet over low heat and add 5 tablespoons of the butter. When it has melted, add the morels and sauté for 10 minutes. Add sliced mushrooms and continue to sauté until lightly browned, another 5 minutes. Pour mushrooms and any liquid into the chicken mixture, add crème fraîche, and stir.
• Knead the remaining 4 tablespoons butter with the flour until smooth. Add to the chicken with the morel soaking liquid and the remaining vin jaune or white wine and sherry. Stir over low heat until the sauce is thickened and smooth; do not allow to boil. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.

CHICKEN WITH MORELS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Lift the morels carefully from the hot water in order to leave any grit behind in the liquid. Rinse a few times to be sure all the grittiness is gone. Discard the liquid and dry the morels lightly with paper towels. Set aside.
• Sprinkle the chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Dredge them in flour and shake off the excess. Heat half the clarified butter in a large saute pan and cook the chicken in 2 batches over medium-low heat until browned on both sides, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove to an ovenproof casserole.
• Add the rest of the clarified butter to the pan along with the shallots, drained morels, and garlic. Saute over medium heat for 2 minutes, tossing and stirring constantly. Pour the Madeira into the pan and reduce the liquid by half over high heat, 2 to 4 minutes. Add the creme fraiche, cream, lemon juice, 1 teaspoon salt, and 3¿4 teaspoon pepper. Boil until the mixture starts to thicken, 5 to 10 minutes. Pour the sauce over the chicken and bake for 12 minutes, or until the chicken is heated through. To make ahead, refrigerate the chicken and sauce in the casserole and reheat slowly on top of the stove.

CHICKEN FRICASSEE WITH MORELS AND VIN JAUNE

Steps:

• Prepare the morels: Place the morels in a colander and rinse well under cold running water to rid them of any grit. Transfer them to a heatproof measuring cup. Pour boiling water over the mushrooms to cover. Set aside for 20 minutes to plump them up. Then, using a slotted spoon, carefully remove the mushrooms from the liquid, leaving behind any grit that may have fallen to the bottom. If any of the morels are extremely large, halve them lengthwise.
• Liberally season the chicken pieces on all sides with sea salt and white pepper.
• In a deep 12-inch skillet, combine the oil and 4 tablespoons of the butter. Place over moderate heat. When the fats are hot but not smoking, add the chicken, skin side down, and brown until it turns an even golden color, about 5 minutes more. Carefully regulate the heat to avoid scorching the skin. (This may have to be done in batches.) When all the pieces are browned, use tongs (to avoid piercing the meat) to transfer them to a platter. Season again with sea salt and white pepper.
• Pour off and discard the fat in the skillet. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon butter, the shallots, and the garlic. Cook, covered, over low heat, until soft but not browned, about 3 minutes. Add the wine and boil, uncovered, over high heat for 5 minutes to burn off the alcohol, which could make the sauce bitter. Add the cream and the morels, and stir to blend. Return the chicken and any juices that have accumulated to the skillet. Cover, and cook over low heat, turning the pieces in the sauce once or twice, until the chicken is cooked through and has thoroughly absorbed the sauce, about 20 minutes. Taste for seasoning and serve.