Poularde aux morilles

01 / ABOUT THE DISH

About the dish

Poularde aux morilles is the crown jewel of the Franche-Comté region, a specially fattened, tender hen slowly braised in a rich, heavy cream sauce, deeply infused with earthy morel mushrooms and oxidized local wine. The recipe demands two highly specific regional ingredients to achieve its signature decadence: poultry from the neighboring Bresse area—where hens are raised on a diet of milk and cereals to produce exceptionally moist, densely marbled meat—and wild morel mushrooms foraged directly from the damp floors of the Jura mountain forests. The sectioned bird is first seared in butter to render its natural fat and develop a golden skin, then temporarily removed from the heavy cast-iron pot. The remaining fat is used to sauté finely minced shallots and the prized morels, whose deeply pitted, honeycomb-like caps act as perfect natural sponges, soaking up the savory pan drippings. This intense, earthy base is then aggressively deglazed with vin jaune, a highly localized, sherry-like wine aged under a layer of yeast that imparts sharp, unforgettable notes of toasted walnuts and warm spices. Once the sharp alcohol cooks off, a generous pour of high-fat crème fraîche is folded into the pot, and the chicken is fully submerged back into the liquid. It is left to simmer gently until the meat becomes remarkably spoon-tender and the sauce reduces down into a thick, velvety, ivory-colored glaze. Deeply comforting and overwhelmingly rich, poularde aux morilles is traditionally served scorching hot, ladled generously over simple buttered egg noodles, roasted potatoes, or a crisp potato galette.