Bresse Chicken with Morels — Bocuse-Inspired

About This Recipe

This dish is inspired by one of Chef Paul Bocuse's defining preparations — Bresse chicken with morels. Bocuse, the 'pope of French gastronomy,' held three Michelin stars at L'Auberge du Pont de Collonges for 55 consecutive years and was the most public champion of the nouvelle cuisine movement. This recipe takes the classical Lyonnaise tradition — chicken poached whole, finished in a Madeira-cream sauce with morels — and presents it for the home cook. Use the best chicken you can afford; the simpler the dish, the more the bird matters.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 1whole free-range chicken(Bresse if you can find it, 1.6–1.8kg)
• 30 gdried morel mushrooms
• 1leek(halved)
• 1carrot(quartered)
• 1onion(studded with 2 cloves)
• 1bouquet garni(thyme, parsley, bay)
• 100 mlMadeira(or dry sherry)
• 300 mldouble cream
• 60 gunsalted butter
• 2shallots(finely diced)
• 2egg yolks
• 1 tbsplemon juice
• salt and white pepper(to taste)

Instructions

1. 1

   Rehydrate the morels

   Soak the dried morels in 200ml warm water for 30 minutes. Lift out, halve any large ones, rinse briefly, and squeeze dry. Strain and reserve the soaking liquid.

2. 2

   Poach the chicken

   Place the chicken in a stockpot with the leek, carrot, clove-studded onion and bouquet garni. Cover with cold water (about 2.5L). Bring to a gentle simmer — never a boil — and poach for 50–60 minutes until a thigh registers 74°C. Skim regularly. Lift out the chicken and cover loosely. Reserve 500ml of the cooking liquid.

3. 3

   Make the morel sauce

   In a wide pan, melt the butter and sweat the shallots for 4 minutes. Add the morels and cook 2 minutes. Pour in the Madeira and reduce by half. Add the strained morel soaking liquid and 250ml of the chicken poaching liquid. Reduce by half.

4. 4

   Finish with cream and yolks

   Add the cream and simmer 5 minutes until the sauce coats the back of a spoon. Off the heat, whisk together the egg yolks with 2 tablespoons of the warm sauce, then slowly stir back into the pan. The sauce should thicken to a glossy, silky consistency. Season with salt, white pepper and lemon juice. Do NOT let it boil after adding the yolks.

5. 5

   Carve and serve

   Remove the chicken skin if you like. Carve into legs, thighs and breasts. Arrange on warm plates and ladle the morel cream sauce over the top. Serve with rice pilaf or buttered tagliatelle.

Variations

• •

  Volaille au Vin Jaune: substitute Jura vin jaune for the Madeira — the Eastern French regional version.

• •

  Chicken Vol-au-Vent: serve the morels in cream over puff pastry shells without poaching the chicken — quick weeknight version.

Storage

Eat the day it's made. Leftover poached chicken meat is excellent in salads or sandwiches.

Frequently Asked Questions