Making Magic with Julia Child

It's been awhile since my last new recipe. Scooter and I have been using a lot of repeats lately simply because both weeknights and weekends have been busy. And when you're busy, it's a lot faster to whip up something you've made before than to try out something new. But this last weekend, I decided to try a new recipe for Sunday dinner. When looking at my line of cookbooks, I grabbed one I hadn't turned to in awhile: Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking. And the recipe I chose was her "Roasted Chicken Steeped with Port Wine, Cream, and Mushrooms." This was truly an experience for the palate. So much so that I couldn't help but exclaiming "Oh my God!" after I tasted the sauce and making Scooter come to the kitchen to taste it too. He got this dreamy look in his eyes and just stood there with a smile, savoring the flavor. We licked up every drop (in my case, literally) from our plates when we sat down to our meal. I don't know how she is able to do it, but decades after writing her recipes down Julia still inspires cooks and gives them the steps to make magic in their kitchen. Turning basic ingredients like the ones above into something so incredible can't be anything but a kind of magic. So without further ado, here is my slight variation on Julia's recipe.

What you'll need:
3 lbs. meaty chicken pieces (thighs worked really well)
olive oil
1/2 lb. cremini mushrooms
1/4 lb. white mushrooms
1 pkg. dried porcini mushrooms
1/4 c. water
1 1/2 Tbs. butter
1/2 tsp. lemon juice
1/4 tsp. salt
1 c. heavy cream
1 1/2 tsp. cornstarch, mixed with 1 Tbs. of the cream
1 shallot, peeled and diced small
1/3 c. port
1/4 c. brandy or cognac
salt and pepper to taste

What you'll need to do:
1. Put the dried porcini mushrooms into a small bowl and add enough water to almost cover them. Set aside.
2. Rinse and dry the chicken pieces. Place them on a flat rack in a roasting pan. Baste with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast at 375 degrees for about 50 minutes or until juice is clear. Remove and set aside.
3. While the chicken is roasting, clean and trim the other mushrooms. Cut into quarters or thick slices. Set aside.
4. In a large saucepan, add the water, 1/2 Tbs. of the butter, lemon juice, and salt. Bring to a boil and add all of the mushrooms, including the porcini mushrooms' water. Cover and simmer for 8 minutes. Pour out the cooking liquid and reserve.
5. Add the cream and cornstarch mixture. Simmer for another 2 minutes. Add salt and pepper as desired and set aside.
6. When the chicken is done roasting, remove from oven and set aside to rest.
7. In a small saucepan, add 2 Tbs of the fat from the roasting pan. Stir in the shallots and cook slowly for 1 minute. Add the port and the reserved cooking liquid from the mushrooms. Boil rapidly until mixture has reduced to about 1/3 cup.
8. Add the contents of the small saucepan to the large saucepan and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until sauce starts to thicken.
9. Smear the inside of a dutch oven or casserole dish with the remaining butter. Add the chicken pieces and arrange. Put the dutch oven over medium to medium high heat until you hear the chicken starting to sizzle.
10. Pour in the brandy and use a long-handled match or lighter to light the alcohol. **BE CAREFUL and LEAN BACK FROM THE DISH when you do this** Remember, safety first! Tilt or shake the dutch oven until the flames disappear. If you get too nervous, put the lid on the pot to instantly put out the flame.
11. Pour in the mushroom mixture, cover and turn down to low heat for 5 minutes. Serve hot with rice or roasted potatoes.

This recipe suggests a white wine, but I'm so much more partial to red. We decided to try one that I bought at the store on a whim. It was of a winery I had enjoyed in the past (I like their Merlot), but a particular type that I hadn't yet sampled. Oh. My. God. It was fantastic! It was like the icing on the cake--a perfect way to round out the chicken. You can see the label here. If you ever come across this wine, do yourself a favor and buy it! Scooter and I finished the bottle. It's already on my shopping list for this weekend.

Between the outstanding food and the wine we fell in love with, it was a truly amazing meal. And the leftovers (sans wine) were just as good.

Go make some magic in your kitchen and bon appétit!