This is a bit of a French fancy. It has loads of flavour from the dried mushrooms, which are a handy storecupboard ingredient as they instantly perk up most casseroles. If you really want to impress your guests, serve this while wearing a string of onions round your neck. And a beret, of course.
Ingredients
- 3 leeks, really well washed
- 51⁄2 oz (150 g) smoked bacon lardons
- 1 oz (30 g) unsalted butter
- 8 skinless and boneless chicken thighs
- 1 pint (600 ml) Riesling
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 oz (30 g) mixed dried mushrooms, soaked and drained
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 6 tbsp double cream
To Finish
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- 7 oz (200 g) your favourite fresh mushrooms, quartered
- handful of parsley leaves, finely chopped
How to Make It
- Chop the leeks into 4 cm (11⁄2 in) pieces. Set aside.
- Place a large, heavy-based frying pan over a medium heat and throw in the lardons. Fry until just turning brown, stirring the whole time.
- Reduce the heat and add the butter and leeks. Stir for a minute, then reduce the heat again and let the leeks soften for another minute.
- Add the chicken and give it a stir, then pour in the Riesling and bring it up to a good bubble.
- Let the liquid reduce a little, then reduce the heat and add the bay leaves and soaked and drained dried mushrooms. Season well with salt and pepper.
- Cover the pan and simmer very gently for 30 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.
- Stir in the cream.
- To finish, heat the oil in a clean frying pan over a medium-high heat, add the garlic and let it sizzle, then throw in the fresh mushrooms, parsley, and plenty of salt and pepper.
- Stir briskly for a couple of minutes, then scatter on top of the chicken.
- Serve with boiled new potatoes, rice, flat noodles, or simply with some rustic bread and petits pois.