Roast chicken steeped with Port wine, cream and mushrooms

I've been cooking a lot recently but not posting anything, so now I have a bit of a backlog of stuff. About 2 weeks ago my friend Boris came over for dinner. I've know Boris since I was 12 and we have lived together twice because of school and what not. It was the first time he had been to my apartment since Adam and I moved in together so I decided to make him something yummy. When we lived together he loved it when I made risotto, I also introduced him to asparagus....and goat cheese. Now I didn't make anything with goat cheese but I did make risotto and roasted asparagus. I also decided that it was a good time to try another Julia Child recipe. I made Poulet au Porto or in English  roast chicken steeped with port wine, cream and mushrooms. It was very yummy, so here it is Poulet au Porto!

You will need

For the brine(optional)
1/8 cup salt
2 tablespoon sugar
1 quart ( more maybe needed depending on the amount of chicken being brine and the size of your bowl)
3-4 Bay leaves
1 tablespoon juniper berries
1/2 tablespoon pepper corns
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1/2 lemon, squeezed
1/2 medium onion, cut in half
2-3 pound raw whole chicken

1) Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl or a pot, add the chicken and let sit in the fridge overnight.

For the Chicken
2-3 pound chicken brined1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoon butter

1) Remove the chicken from the brine and dry with paper towel
2) Heat a oven proof skillet (I used a cast iron pan), melt 2 tablespoon butter
3) Salt and pepper both sides of the chicken and add to the hot pan, breast side down
4) Cook for 3-4 minutes or until lightly browned, turn over and cook another 2-3 minutes. Place in the oven for 1 hour or until juices run clear.
5) When chicken is cooked and out of the oven let rest.  Remove chicken from saute pan and allow it to rest on a board or plate.

For the Sauce
1lb fresh mushrooms sliced
1/4 cup water
1/2 tablespoon butter
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup whipping cream
1/2 tablespoon corn starch mixed together with 1 tablespoon cream
1 green onion diced
1/ 3 cup medium-dry port or a red wine of your choice
1/4 cup cognac (optional)

1) When the chicken is almost done, bring water, lemon juice, salt and butter to a boil. Add the mushrooms, cover and boil for 8 minutes. Drain the mushrooms, reserve the cooking liquid. Place the mushroom back into the sauce pan, add the cream and the cornstarch mixture. Simmer for 2 minutes, season with salt and pepper and remove from heat.
2) Remove all but 2 tablespoon of the fat and juices from the saute pan used to cook the chicken. Re-heat pan.
3) Saute green onions for 1 minute, add the port and the mushrooms cooking liquid. Boil the sauce down till there is about 1/4 cup of liquid left. Add the cream and mushrooms, cook for 2-3 minutes more. Salt and pepper to taste, add a few drops of lemon juice.

4) Carve the chicken in to serving pieces, place in a buttered casserole dish. Pour the cognac over top and place on the stove top. *When the cognac starts to sizzle light the cognac on fire using a match (be care not to burn yourself, have water or a fire extinguisher near by in case fire gets out of hand). When flame has gone out* pour the mushroom sauce over top, baste the chicken with the sauce. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes.
5) Serve

*optional, if you wish to skip this step just pour the sauce over the chicken and proceed with the rest of the recipe.

ENJOY!


Adam and I made sandwhiches out of the leftovers.