Poulet Aux Morilles et Sauce au Xérès

This dish is from the Besançon region, home to the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, it is a simple and a very tasty dish, with a rich, but not overly heavy sauce.

Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 20 mins

Rest Time 120 mins

Total Time 2 hrs 30 mins

Cuisine: Europe, French

Courses: Mains

Difficulty: Intermediate

Servings: 4

Ingredients

For The Morels

30 g dried morels
4 skinless chicken breasts
15 g unsalted butter
250 g button mushrooms
120 ml dry sherry
400 ml double cream
sea salt
black pepper

For The Leeks

2 leeks
200 ml boiling water
sea salt
15 g unsalted butter

Instructions

1
Drain the morels, reserving the soaking liquor, extracting as much as possible. Rinse, drain, squeeze and dry.
Rinse the rehydrated morels thoroughly because their honeycomb structure can trap grit. They will be cooked in the sauce later; do not taste them at this stage.
2
Cut larger morels into small pieces, set aside. Using muslin cloth sieve any sand or grit from the liquor and save 100ml.
Filter the soaking liquor very carefully and leave behind any sediment at the bottom rather than pouring every last drop through the cloth.
3
Season the breasts with salt and pepper. In a heavy skillet melt the butter over a medium heat until it starts to foam. Add the breasts and colour lightly for 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Remove from the pan and set aside. In the same pan add the morels and button mushrooms for 1 to 2 minutes.
This first sear is for colour only; the chicken breasts are not yet fully cooked. Keep the plate and utensils used for them separate from ready-to-eat food until the later simmer is complete.
4
Boil the sherry for 30 seconds and add to the mushrooms along with the morel liquor and a pinch of salt. Pour in the cream and bring to a boil
5
Return the breasts to the pan ensuring the cream covers them. Lower the heat to a gentle simmer for 10 minutes, the size of the breasts may up or drop this time fractionally, you want them just cooked.
Use a clean probe thermometer in the thickest part of a breast rather than relying on ten minutes alone; breast thickness can alter the cooking time substantially.
6
Place the leeks in a pan and pour on the boiling water, add the butter and season with salt. Cover and boil for 5 to 10 minutes until tender. Use tongs to remove the breasts and place in a warm dish, keep this warm. Boil the sauce rapidly to reduce it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Return the breasts to the pan for 2 minutes.
Keep the chicken hot while the sauce reduces, and return it only long enough to heat through; prolonged boiling in the reduced cream sauce can dry the breast meat.
7
Serve with a slotted spoon, remove the leeks and serve on a platter or warmed plates. Sit the chicken atop and pour over the morel sauce and around the dish.

Nutrition Facts

Servings 4

Amount Per Serving
Calories 817.64kcal

% Daily Value *
Total Fat 61.60g95%
Saturated Fat 36.23g182%
Cholesterol 143.15mg48%
Sodium 114.96mg5%
Potassium 900.56mg26%
Total Carbohydrate 11.99g4%
Dietary Fiber 2.74g11%
Sugars 3.97g
Protein 44.32g89%

Vitamin C 5.97 mg
Calcium 38.63 mg
Iron 1.71 mg

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.