Chicken with a Riesling and cognac cream sauce

Saute the sliced mushrooms on their own for colour, until soft and lightly browned at the edges, and set them aside.

Colour the chicken pieces over medium heat in a tablespoon of grapeseed oil and a tablespoon of butter -- a slight colour only on all sides, about a minute a side, since this is a white sauce.

Reserve the chicken on a tray, leaving the fat and meat flavour in the pan.

Reduce the heat, add the shallots, thyme and garlic and cook two to three minutes; the caramelized chicken juices are in the bottom of the pan.

Deglaze with the cognac, raise the heat and let the alcohol evaporate until almost gone, lifting the caramelized juices into the shallots.

Return the mushrooms, mix, reduce the heat and add the chicken pieces on the bed of vegetables.

Add the homemade chicken stock and the rest of the Riesling, raise the heat and bring to a boil.

Legs take about 25 minutes and breast about 15, so take the breast out first to avoid overcooking it.

Cook 30 minutes partly covered with the lid.

Take out the chicken breast, reserve it on a tray under foil and keep it warm in the oven at 60 to 70C while the legs finish.

Remove all the chicken and reduce the cooking juices on high heat for a good four minutes to concentrate the flavour.

Add at least 100 ml of cream, which brightens the sauce back towards white, blend it in and reduce again to a spoon-coating consistency -- a clear mark when a finger is drawn across the spoon.

Variation for a thicker sauce: an egg yolk mixed into the cream at the end, or a thickening agent such as beurre manie or arrowroot, instead of reduction.

Variation: add a few tablespoons of fresh Riesling at the end to boost the flavour.

Return the chicken to the pan and turn the pieces to coat them in the sauce, one or two minutes, to warm through and take on moisture.

Serve from a dish with a little sauce and a mushroom, with spaetzle, tagliatelle or rice.