• 50gr / 2 oz dried morels or 250gr / 9oz fresh morels
• 1 x 1.5kgr / 3-3½ lb free-range chicken
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 shallot, chopped
• 6 tablespoons dry white wine (i.e. sauvignon blanc)
• 1 litre / 1pint ¼ floz chicken stock
• 1 bouquet garni made of a few parsley stems, sprig of fresh thyme, sprig of fresh tarragon and 1 bay leaf
• 1 egg yolk
• 50gr / 2oz cream (35%)
• Salt
• Pepper
• Flat leaf parsley

If using dried morel, soak in warm water for 30 minutes. Drain well, but keep their soaking water. If using fresh morels, wash and dry the mushrooms.

Cut the chicken into 10 pieces: 2 legs, 2 thighs, 2 breasts (each cut in half) and 2 wings. The meat should remain on the bone. In a thick cast-iron saucepan large enough to hold all the chicken pieces in one layer, heat the butter on a medium heat until a rich golden colour and foamy. Add the chicken and shallot and cook for about 5 minutes to lightly brown. Season. Add the white wine, chicken stock and bouquet garni. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and cook on a low heat for 45 minutes. Remove the chicken and bouquet garni from the pan. Pour the sauce through a sieve. Simmer gently for a few minutes, then add the cream and the morels’ soaking liquid if using dried ones. Give a good simmer.

In a bowl, whisk the egg yolk. Add 5 tablespoons of the boiling sauce slowly to the bowl while whisking vigorously. Pour the egg yolk mixture in the pan and keep whisking until sauce thickens. Do not boil the sauce after adding the egg yolk as it could curdle.

Melt a little butter in a hot pan, and toss the morels gently for 2 to 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add chicken and morels. Simmer gently for 5 minutes until the chicken is warm. Taste the sauce and season in necessary. Spoon the sauce over the chicken and divide the morels equally among each helping. Garnish simply with a little flat leaf parsley and serve immediately.