Trail of Crumbs: Chicken in Vin Jaune with Morels and Creme Fraiche

Happy Halloween week my friends!  We spent all weekend decorating.  We started a couple weeks back, when Thatboy built and painted our tombstones.  That's right, tombstones.  Growing up, Thatdad always turned our front yard into a graveyard for Halloween, and it's a tradition I wanted to start up too.  Now that we have a front yard.

Saturday morning Thatboy painted the epitaphs on the stones while Thatbaby and I carved his pumpkins. 

Sunday morning, we got to decorating.  After we had the tombstones set up, I felt we needed a little something more.  So we introduced a new friend to keep an eye on them.  Thatbaby named him Jack. 

Thatbaby also had picked out a giant spider a couple weeks ago he really wanted to use in decorating the house.  After Thatboy hung it from a tree, I got inspired to create a spider infestation. 

I'm not letting the fact that it's still summer-hot out get me out of the Halloween spirit.  I'm going to keep acting like it's fall until Mother Nature finally gets the hint.  It's time for cooler weather!  Slow cooked dinners!  Mushrooms and roasted potatoes!

Join me in pretending that fall has arrived and hopefully it'll be here just in time for Halloween this Friday!

Chicken in Vin Jaune with Morels and Creme Fraiche (From Trail of Crumbs)

2 cups dried morel mushrooms

1 chicken, cut into 8 pieces

salt and pepper

nutmeg

1 Tbsp butter

2 Tbsp olive oil

2 to 3 shallots, diced

2 cups vin jaune or dry sherry

8 oz creme fraiche

1. Rinse morels in cold water, then place in a bowl and pour hot water over.  Let soak and plump, about 15 minutes.
2. Season chicken with salt, peppr, and nutmeg.
3. Heat butter and oil in a large heavy bottom pot on medium high heat.  Add chicken and let brown, turning once, about 10 minutes.  Remove chicken to a plate and reserve.
4. Add shallots to pan and cook 1 minute.
5. Add wine and bring to a boil.
6. Reduce heat to medium high and let cook, uncovered, scraping bottom of pan with a spoon, about 10 minutes or until liquid is reduced by half.
7. Remove morels from liquid, being careful to leave behind any grit.  Add morels to pot, stir in creme fraiche and add reserved chicken.
8. Cover and let cook another 5 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.
9. Taste sauce and add more salt and pepper as needed.  Serve warm over rice or with roasted potatoes.