Poulet Saute aux Champignons

I was reminded today by a friend that it has been a while since I published any recipes. I have a great recipe for a raspberry tiramisu that my wife invented and doesn't seem to want to stay around long enough to be photographed! I still have plenty of raspberries in the freezer from last summer and the plants are beginning to wake up and are covered with new leaves. I spent a few days turning over the ground which I had been spreading with fireplace ashes all winter. Then I put down fertilizer.......
So, I will publish the Tiramisu recipe soon, but today here is a really simple standard that I cook all the time. Poulet Saute is a basic technique that has many variations, some can be rather complex with sauces finished with small explosions of cognac......
This is not so hazardous.
You need a cut up chicken, you could use packaged parts, obviously the better quality chicken, the better the dish! So plan for enough for your guests.
You also need a lot of nice white mushrooms, champignons de paris. You could use cepes, I have used scotch bonnets or if they are iin season, rose de pres...a wild mushroom a little stronger tasting than the Champignon de Paris...That is your common cultivated white mushroom in America.
Clean and slice the mushrooms.
Then in a nice pot with a lid that you could put in the oven, saute the chicken pieces in a little oil or if you have it, duck or goose fat until they are golden.
Cover the pot and put it into a 375 oven for at least 20 minutes.
When the chicken is done, take it out of the oven, put the pot on the stove. Take out the chicken and keep it warm.
Remove excess fat, but you need some for the next step. Put the mushrooms in the pot, and saute them and sprinkle a soupspoon or so of flour over them. Cook the mushrooms and flour together for 5 minutes...then, pour in a glass of dry white wine. In France, there is a product called Fond de veau, which makes a thick rich veal stock and I add a cup of that, but if you don't have it, a little chicken stock made with a boullion cube and the secret, just a dab of tomato paste will give a richer flavor.
Make sure you get all the chicken flavor off the bottom of the pan and let it cook together for a few minutes until you have a nice sauce with the mushrooms.
Put the chicken back in the pot, cover it with the sauce and mushrooms and let it meld together for a few minutes covered. Oh, yes, the only seasoning you need is salt and pepper. This is incredibly simple but a real favorite.
Serve this with mashed potatoes and youu will wish you made more sauce!
Bon apetit!