flipChicken in Vin Jaune with Morels
Chicken in Vin Jaune with Morels
Why this dish? This is THE dish of grand Jura gatherings, marrying the two treasures of Pasteur's homeland: vin jaune d'Arbois — the town of his vineyards and his *Studies on Wine* — and morels from the Franche-Comté forests. On feast days in a bourgeois Arbois family, this creamy dish reigned at the center of the table.
Golden chicken simmered in a cream, vin jaune, and rehydrated morel mushroom sauce. The Savagnin wine, oxidative and nutty, gives the sauce an inimitable umami depth. A noble, generous, fragrant dish.
Allow me to present the dish of our days of ceremony, in Arbois. One browns the chicken in butter, then lets it tenderize in cream and the vin jaune from our own vines — that Savagnin I questioned so much under my microscope. The morels, gathered in our woods, come to deposit their undergrowth perfume. Never let the sauce boil harshly: excessive heat betrays the wine as it betrays milk. Let it bind gently, and you will hold there all the nobility of my Franche-Comté.
- •Free-range chicken — 1, cut into pieces (main meat)
- •Vin jaune d'Arbois (Savagnin) — a large glass (signature sauce)
- •Dried morels — a handful (flavorful mushroom)
- •Thick farm cream — a bowl (creamy binder)
- •Butter — a good knob (cooking fat)
- •Gray shallots — 2 (aromatic)
- •Salt, pepper — to taste (seasoning)
Chicken in Vin Jaune with Morels
Golden chicken simmered in a cream, vin jaune, and rehydrated morel mushroom sauce. The Savagnin wine, oxidative and nutty, gives the sauce an inimitable umami depth. A noble, generous, fragrant dish.
Why this dish? This is THE dish of grand Jura gatherings, marrying the two treasures of Pasteur's homeland: vin jaune d'Arbois — the town of his vineyards and his *Studies on Wine* — and morels from the Franche-Comté forests. On feast days in a bourgeois Arbois family, this creamy dish reigned at the center of the table.
Allow me to present the dish of our days of ceremony, in Arbois. One browns the chicken in butter, then lets it tenderize in cream and the vin jaune from our own vines — that Savagnin I questioned so much under my microscope. The morels, gathered in our woods, come to deposit their undergrowth perfume. Never let the sauce boil harshly: excessive heat betrays the wine as it betrays milk. Let it bind gently, and you will hold there all the nobility of my Franche-Comté.
Ingredients (period version)
- Free-range chicken — 1, cut into pieces (main meat)
- Vin jaune d'Arbois (Savagnin) — a large glass (signature sauce)
- Dried morels — a handful (flavorful mushroom)
- Thick farm cream — a bowl (creamy binder)
- Butter — a good knob (cooking fat)
- Gray shallots — 2 (aromatic)
- Salt, pepper — to taste (seasoning)
Ingredients
- Free-range chicken, cut into pieces — 1 (about 1.4 kg) (main meat)
- Jura vin jaune (or failing that, dry Savagnin) — 20 cl (signature sauce)
- Dried morels — 30 g (flavorful mushroom)
- Thick crème fraîche — 25 cl (binder)
- Butter — 40 g (cooking)
- Shallots — 2 (aromatic)
- Salt, pepper — to taste (seasoning)
Method
- Rehydrate the morels in warm water for 30 minutes, then rinse thoroughly (to remove sand) and reserve the filtered soaking water.
- Brown the chicken pieces in butter in a casserole dish on all sides. Set aside.
- Sweat the chopped shallots, add the morels, then return the chicken.
- Deglaze with the vin jaune and a little of the filtered soaking water. Cover and simmer for 35 to 40 minutes over low heat.
- Remove the chicken, stir the cream into the sauce, and let it reduce gently without boiling hard.
- Adjust seasoning, return the chicken, reheat briefly, and serve, traditionally with rice or fresh pasta.
How it was made : In the 19th-century Jura, vin jaune was used in cooking for festive meals: its oxidative character, resulting from long aging under a yeast veil, withstood cooking and perfumed sauces. Dried morels, harvested in spring, were stored for winter and enhanced special occasion dishes.
The contemporary twist : Plated in a shallow bowl with a few whole, plump morels placed on top and a drizzle of sauce, accompanied by a Comté cheese crisp.
Sources : Louis Pasteur, *Studies on Wine*, 1866
Louis Pasteur · Charactorium
