METHOD

Preparing the morels   

1. Cover the dried morels with 100 ml of boiling water and leave to soak for at least half an hour.
2. Once soaked, strain the morels, reserving the morel water.
3. Rinse the morels thoroughly (they can be gritty) and drain well.
4. Strain the morel water through kitchen towel (or better still a muslin or really fine sieve) to remove any grit.  

Other preparation

1. Trim the chicken breasts and cut into three or four pieces each.
2. Clean the button mushrooms in water and dry off quickly to avoid them absorbing too much water, then cut into halves.
3. Season the chicken with plenty of salt and pepper.
4. Gently melt the butter in a large frying pan, then raise to a medium heat.
5. Add the chicken pieces and brown all over for a couple of minutes.
6. Remove the chicken from the pan.

The combination

1. Add the Marsala to the frying pan, turn up the heat and boil for a minute or so to burn off some of the alcohol.
2. Add the morel water, the morels, the button mushrooms, a little more salt and pepper and the creme fraiche.
3. Bring back to the boil, add the chicken, reduce to a simmer and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, until it is cooked through.
4. Remove the chicken to a bowl and cover with foil.
5. Turn up the heat on the pan and cook for 5 to 10 minutes to reduce the sauce.
6. Return the chicken and any juices to the pan to warm up again.
7. Et voilà!

The crumpets

1. Spoon on, crack open the Burgundy, and mange tout Rodney.
   
 

OTHER NOTES

Please use free-range chicken. It’s not only egg-laying hens that dislike being cooped up in tiny filthy cages 24 hours a day.