Chicken papillotes with cream, mustard and thyme

Not part of the original recipe, which coats the chicken raw: sear the breasts first, because chicken baked in a parcel comes out totally white and unappetising.

Colour the chicken breasts lightly on both sides in one tablespoon of olive oil, no more than five minutes, for tone only.

Optional: cook one shallot in the same pan for one or two minutes to capture the fat and the meat juices, and add it to the parcel with the chicken.

Whisk the creme fraiche with the Dijon mustard, pepper and salt into a paste; the cream must be thick, not liquid.

Preheat the oven to 180C with the fan force on.

On a square of parchment paper, coat each side of a chicken breast with the cream mixture.

Add the sauteed shallots, fresh thyme with the flowers, a little parsley and an additional grind of salt and pepper, and a few whole peppercorns to infuse.

Variation: a piece or slice of lemon, or a chili, or some basil, can go in the parcel instead.

Variation as made here: a drizzle of lemon juice and a little olive oil over the top.

Fold the paper up over the chicken, join it along the top, fold the top over one way and then again to tighten it, then grab both ends and twist them like a candy.

Bake about 20 minutes at 180C.

Probe through the paper towards the end: the core temperature of the meat should be at least about 65.

Do not overdo it -- take them out and let them rest so everything infuses and the temperature carries on rising, so 60 Celsius plus resting time is enough.

Serve in the parcel and open it at the table with scissors; the chicken is bathing in the sauce and the parcel is full of steam.

Serve with broccoli and cauliflower gratin, green beans, potato or tagliatelle; the sauce also goes over pasta.