Poulet à l'Angevine

Friday 2 March

We had bought a pound of mushrooms "on spec" at Findlay Market last Saturday.  Something needed to be done with them, so we defrosted a couple of (giant) chicken breasts to make this.

Our only variation was using tarragon rather than thyme as a seasoning.  Both are naturals with chicken and mushrooms, but the garden tarragon has not yet begun to sprout, and dried tarragon is as flavorless as dust (believe me, I've tried both). 

Luckily last summer Barbara had chopped up some fresh leaves, mixed them with oil, and put them into an ice cube tray, which is the only way to preserve tarragon's flavor.  We pried out a couple of cubes, added more oil, and rubbed the result under and around the chicken's skin.

It worked like a charm: the dish was lush with cream, but the tarragon gave it a herbacious, but not too licorice-y, tang.