Port and Mushrooms and Chicken, oh my!

Between the Vanity Fair article, "Our Lady of the Kitchen" by Laura Jacobs and the new movie "Julie & Julia" I have developed an interest in Julia Childs. I share not only her affinity for French food, but her struggle to define herself and find her place in world. She is responsible for making cooking a more accessible art and for teaching countless people that it is ok to fail, you just have to pick up the pieces and try again. She is a very cool lady. I have to add her to my imaginary dinner party list - you know the list of people dead or alive who you would invite to a dinner party...

In light of my new interest in the ol' gal, I thought I would try one of her recipes. Nora Ephron, the writer and director of "Julie & Julia" was interviewed on WNYC's Leonard Lopate Show and she mentioned that one of her favorite recipes from "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" is one for chicken with mushrooms and port. That combination stuck in the back of my head for a couple of weeks and last night I finally tried it.

No surprise, I didn't use a recipe - but here is the jist of it...

Saute portabello and shitake mushrooms in a large pan (As Julia says, "Don't crowd the mushrooms!") with one clove garlic (finely chopped), olive oil, and butter. Once the color changes and they become fragrant, remove from heat.

Heat olive oil in a separate pan over high heat. Add chicken pieces (I used boneless, skinless breasts, but anything will do). Cook on each side until golden brown.

In a small bowl or cup, mix a couple of spoon fulls of flour with about a 1/2 cup light cream (or half and half) until smooth.

When chicken is golden, remove from heat. Return mushroom mixture to low heat. Add half and half (enough to create a sauce around the mushrooms) and simmer while stirring. Add the flour mixture and stir until incorporated. Next add about 1/2 cup port and stir into mixture. Keep an eye on the heat - if the sauce gets too hot it may separate. The sauce should thicken. If it gets too thick add a little water or milk. Season with salt, pepper, and one addition garlic clove (finely chopped).

Add chicken pieces, cover and let simmer for a few minutes to finish cooking the chicken and let all the flavors come together.


I served my chicken with orzo. Orzo is pasta that looks a lot like rice. I boiled and strained the orzo then added sun-dried tomatoes (soaked in water for about 10 minutes to soften them) my Balsamic vinaigrette (from an earlier post) and plenty of freshly grated Asiago cheese.

Here's a picture - although it was kind of an afterthought so its not great, but you get the idea.


The dinner was a hit! Now I have to find the real recipe and see if I was anywhere close to it.