La Chaum' Yerres
(Chaumes-en-Brie)

To read Meril's tribute to Chef Berton (Hommage to a Big Cheese in Brie) in the Newsletter of the Houston Chapter of the Wine Society of Texas, click here.
Brigitte, Michael and Meril	Michel, Michael, Chef Berton and Meril
Michael's Version of Poularde au Cidre et Moutarde based on The Flavors of France Episode 37 at La Chaum' Yerres.
Ingredients 8 chicken thighs* 1 onion, chopped 3 leeks, sliced in rings 1/4 inch wide 1 bunch organic carrots, sliced in rings 1/4 inch wide 1 bottle hard cider Dijon mustard Whipping cream Duck fat Pepper Fry chicken in duck fat until lightly browned (about 15-20 minutes), turning as necessary Remove from pan Sauté carrots, leeks and onions in the duck fat and chicken juices (5-10 minutes) Put chicken back in pan with the vegetables Add cider and pepper and bring to a simmer; cover and continue cooking for 45-60 minutes, turning the chicken at least once Remove chicken and vegetables, separate out the fat from the other juices and add back to pan Add cream and mustard to the juices to create the sauce Continue cooking at medium heat for a few more minutes until sauce has begun to thicken Place chicken and vegetables on a plate with rice and ladle sauce over vegetables and rice     *Original recipe calls for a chicken cut into parts, but we think thighs work best, and we leave the skin on throughout the cooking process