Chicken Breasts with Porcini Cream Sauce

Friday 13 January

We got some dried porcini in large slices from Bell's market in Philadelphia; we wanted to leave them large, so proceeded thus.
1 huge (1 lb.) boneless, skinless chicken breast (we thought there were two, but never mind, we'll slice it later)

White pepper and salt

butter

canola oil

25 grams dried porcini

1 large clove garlic, minced

1 teaspoon thyme leaves

1 large shallot, thinly sliced

1/2 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1 Tablespoon Marsala

3 Tablespoons heavy cream

Soak porcini in hot water to cover in a small bowl until softened, 20 to 30 minutes. Lift porcini out, squeezing liquid into bowl, then rinse porcini to remove any grit and set aside. Strain soaking liquid through a sieve lined with a damp paper towel into a bowl and reserve the liquid.

Preheat a large ovenproof skillet to medium-high and add butter and canola oil. Season chicken with salt and pepper and brown for 2 minutes on each side. Put pan into oven at 350º. 

Put another skillet on at lower heat, and add a pat of butter and oil, then shallots and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 2 minutes or until the shallots are wilted. Pour in the reserved porcini water, turn the heat up to high and simmer for 4-5 minutes or until liquid is thickened. Add mushrooms and thyme, see how much liquid they give off; add Marsala and cream and continue to boil to thicken. 

Slice chicken, lay out on a bed of potatoes mashed with butter, goat cheese, lemon and white pepper (left over from our Christmas spreads, actually), and pour sauce over it.  

Tastes like very heaven.  It's so much better to have one succulent chicken breast and slice it, than to halve it, pound it thin and have it turn gradually into leather.