Recipe: Bourbon and Cream Chicken

Bourbon & Cream Chicken
Source:Classical Southern Cooking - Damon Lee Fowler

2 young frying chickens (no more than 2 pounds each)
1/2 cup all purpose flour
salt to taste
8 to 10 large fresh wild mushrooms, sliced thick, or 1/2 pound domestic crimini mushrooms (or button if necessary), sliced thick, and 1/2 ounce dried boletus (porcini or c pes)
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons chopped scallions
1/2 cup well-aged bourbon
1 cup heavy cream (minimum 36% milk fat)

Wash the chickens and pat dry. Disjoint them and spread the pieces on a platter. Lightly dust them with flour and salt. Set them aside. If you are using the crimini and dried mushrooms, put the dried mushrooms in a bowl with 1 cup of boiling water and let them steep for half an hour. In a large, heavy skillet that will hold all the chicken pieces without crowding, heat the butter and olive oil over low heat. Add the chicken pieces and chopped scallions and saut them, turning the chicken frequently, until they are golden and tender, about half an hour. While the chicken cooks, baste it with spoonfuls of the bourbon every few minutes, being careful to add it in small amounts so there is never any liquid accumulated in the pan. Remember that the chicken is meant to saut , not steam. When the chicken pieces are cooked through and golden and all the bourbon has been used up, transfer them from the skillet to a warm platter. If you are using only wild mushrooms, turn up the heat and add them to the skillet. Saut them, tossing and stirring them constantly, for about 3 minutes. If you are using reconstituted dried mushrooms, lift them out of their soaking water, dipping them to loosen any sand that is clinging to them, and put them in the pan. Filter the soaking water through a paper towel of coffee filter and pour it into the pan. Bring it to a boil, stirring frequently, and evaporate all the liquid. Add the sliced crimini and saut as for the wild mushrooms. Add the cream to the mushrooms and scrape loose any residue that may be stuck to the skillet. Simmer until the mixture is just heated through and starting to thicken. Taste the sauce and correct the seasonings, then pour it over the chicken. Serve at once. If you can't find exotic mushrooms in your area, use all button mushrooms.