(Serves 4)

4 chicken breasts, boned with skin left on

3/4 cup Mushroom Duxelles (recipe follows)

1 cup white wine

1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 cup chicken broth

Freshly ground black pepper

Soy sauce (optional)

1.) Preheat the oven to 425º F and butter a 13 x 9-inch baking dish.

2.) Tuck 1 1/2 tablespoons of the duxelles under the skin of each chicken breast and arrange the stuffed breasts in a single layer in the prepared baking dish. Pour in the white wine and cream and sprinkle with pepper. Bake until the skins are browned and the chicken is baked through, about 20 minutes.

3.) While the chicken is baking, boil the heavy cream and chicken broth in a large saucepan until it is reduced to about a third of its original volume.
4.) When the chicken is browned and baked through (It should register 165 on a thermometer), transfer the chicken to a warm platter or individual serving plates. Scrape the pan drippings into the saucepan with the reduced cream mixture and cook over high heat, whisking until the sauce is smooth and slightly thickened. Pour the sauce over the chicken and serve hot.

Mushroom Duxelles

In the old days when French cooks found a bounty of mushrooms, they would chop them very fine, cook them with chopped shallots in butter, and store the treasured paste in a crockery jar. They called the conserved mushroom paste duxelles. Later, a spoonful of this concentrated mushroom purée could be tucked inside of a hollowed out tomato to form a simple stuffed vegetable garnish. It could also be stirred into broth to make a simple soup, or mixed with a little white sauce and baked in a pastry shell to make an excellent savory tart. I like it tucked under the skin of a chicken breast where it takes on flavor reminiscent of foie gras.

(Makes about 3/4 cup)

1 pound mushrooms, cleaned and trimmed

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter

2 large shallots or 1/4 onion, finely chopped

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1 tablespoon butter, melted (optional)

1.)Pick through the mushrooms and remove any pine needles In a food processor, chop mushrooms very fine, pulsing on and off.

2.) Melt the butter in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat and add the shallots, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring constantly, for 10 minutes, or until the mushrooms are fairly dry. The steam will subside. Transfer to a clean, dry plate, spread flat for quick cooling, and hold refrigerated until you are ready to fill the breasts of chicken.