Poulet Gaston Gérard

This traditional Dijon dish is a simple but elegant chicken in mustard cream sauce with grated Gruyère cheese (Comté is what the locals use). This recipe was created in 1930 by Reine Geneviève Bourgogne, the wife of the Mayor of Dijon, Gaston Gérard, for the French gastronomist, humorist, and food critic Curnonsky. Serves 4.

Ingredients

• 1 frying chicken, cut up
• Salt, black pepper, paprika
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 sprig thyme (or 1/2 tsp dried)
• 2 tbsp dry white wine
• 1 cup crème fraîche or heavy cream
• 2 tbsp Dijon mustard (try Edmond Fallot Moutarde de Beaune)
• 3/4 cup plus 2 tbsp grated Gruyère cheese

Directions

1. Dry the chicken pieces and season with salt, pepper, and paprika.
2. Heat a sauté pan to medium-high and melt the butter.
3. Brown the chicken on both sides, then reduce heat to medium-low.
4. Add bay leaf and thyme and cook, covered, about 15 to 20 minutes, or until the chicken is done but still moist. Turn the chicken once during cooking.
5. Pre-heat a broiler.
6. Remove the chicken to a shallow earthenware casserole dish. Discard the bay leaf and thyme and pour off excess butter and fat.
7. Over high heat, add white wine to deglaze the sauté pan.
8. Add crème fraîche and cook over high heat until warm.
9. Remove from heat and stir in mustard and all but 2 tbsp of the grated cheese.
10. Pour sauce over the chicken, add remaining cheese on top, and run it under the broiler to brown.