Recipe: Chicken Breast with Fresh Morels

1 In a large pot, place your carrot cut in half, your studded onion, your leek, some thyme and a bay leaf. Cover with 3.2 qt (3 liters) of water, salt, pepper and let cook for 15 minutes.

2 In the meantime, in a sauté pan, gently sweat your minced shallot, add your morels, salt and pepper, moisten with 0.6 cup (15 cl) of cream and let cook over low heat, covered, for 10 minutes, then set aside.

3 Your broth has cooked for 15 minutes. Plunge your chicken breasts into it, cooking for 15 minutes at a gentle simmer, skimming the top.

4 Remove your chicken breasts and place them on an ovenproof dish. Strain your broth.

5 Return three quarters of your strained broth to heat and bring to a boil. Pour in your spätzles and let them cook gently for 15 minutes.

6 Make a small roux by mixing butter and flour, let cook for 3 minutes, then add while stirring the remaining broth, the glass of late harvest wine and the remaining 0.6 cup (15 cl) of cream, and let reduce this sauce by one third.

7 Finishing: Drain your pasta, then toss it with 2 spoonfuls of your sauce and place it either at the bottom of a dish or a deep plate, keeping it warm. Mix the sauce and sweated morels together, bring to a boil, remove from heat, then quickly whisk in your 2 egg yolks. Plate the sliced chicken breasts on your bed of spätzles, sauce on top, then place under the grill until it takes on a nice color.

8 It's true that this is a somewhat unconventional recipe, but it really has a history. It was late April when I got a call from Strasbourg where Jean-Marie and Antonella were living happily. It was simply to let me know that they had found some beautiful morels around their place. No sooner said than done, 2 days later they were at my place and to thank them, I decided to make an Alsatian-style recipe with them!