400px-Poulet_%C3%A0_la_comtoise.jpgFranche-Comté is a beautiful  region in the eastern part of La Belle France, and a true culinary haven and home to such hardy dishes as gratin Franc-Comtois, Sausage Briocheee, Cervelas sausage in a brioche "à la mode comtoise"  and Sauteed Frogs Legs in yellow wine from the Jura. What an incredible sampler and that's only for starters! 3438638223?profile=originalThis particular dish was a house speciality at the  restaurant Boissy d'Anglas which was located oddly enough at 41 rue Boissy d'Anglas in the 8eme. It was a restaurant specializing in regional dishes from the eastern part of France. A home away from home, for lost souls in the big city if you will.  The restaurant has long since gone for one reason or another perhaps the owners returned to their home somewhere in Alsace or Franche-Conte. I understand that Tante Louise restaurant now occupies that real estate. This very tasty dish, I believe, successfully brings together regional products such as Bresse chicken, white wine from the Jura region and comté cheese. It's a dish as hardy as it is tasty, I assure you! After a long walk in the mountains this is just what the doctor ordered. 

But first, a little history before we cook and eat. Franche-Comté or "Free County" did not officially appear until 1366. Prior to that time, it had been a territory of the County of Burgundy from 888 (not that long ago) until the province became subject to the Holy Roman Empire in 1034. The rest is history. The principal cities are the capital Besançon, Montbéliard and Belfort -a city I know a little bit about for one reason or another. This little known region borders Switzerland and shares much of its architecture, cuisine, and culture with its neighbor. Between the Vosges range of mountains to the north and the Jura (Gaulish word meaning 'forest') range to the south, the landscape consists of rolling cultivated fields, dense pine forest and ramparts like mountains. There are parts of Franche-Comté where you might think you were in Switzerland, Alsace or perhaps really got lost and crossed a border somewhere only to find yourself in Germany. Yes, little village where everything is quite neat, orderly, tidy and did I say neat?

 

Poulet Franc Comtois (serves 4 - 6)
Ingredients: 4 - 6 nice plump chicken breasts 4 cups Comté cheese (if you possibly can do try and stay with the local cheese, it makes it) 2 cups of Jura white wine (or a white wine of your choice) 1/2 cup crème fraîche 1 egg yolk 2 oz flour 2 tablespoons butter 2 tablespoons olive oil nutmeg sea salt and fresh ground black pepper 1 cut of mushrooms (optional)                                                                                                                                                                                           Directions : Lightly dust chicken breasts in half the flour  and set aside

Heat oil in a deep fry pan (une cocotte, svp)and your chicken. When they are golden brown, add the white wine, salt and pepper and a pinch of nutmeg. Cover and cook gently for 30 minutes.
Carefully select the wine for dinner.

Meanwhile, grate the comté cheese and prepare a white roux: In a small casserole, melt the butter adding all the remainder of the flour adding a couple of teaspoons of chicken stock and cook gently for 10 minutes. 
Add-in the crème fraîche, the egg-yolk and half of the grated comté cheese, mixing together all the ingredients.
Just before serving, place chicken in an oven-safe dish and cover chicken with the comté sauce then cover the chicken with the rest of the cheese and gratiner in the oven/broiler for approximately 5 minutes.
Serve immediately

                                                                                                                                                                                        
Now about those wines... White wines du pays/la region are always a good start but you can also be daring and offer your guests a selection of light red wines.
2006 Trimbach Pinot Blanc d'Alsace
2006 Caves Jean Bourgy, Château Chalon Vin Jaune ("Yellow wine")
2009 Olivier Leflaive Bourgogne Blanc "Les Sétilles"
2009 Caves Jean Bourdy Cotes du Jura Blanc
White Cremant du Jura  or sparkling wine (I'm not allowed to call it champagne, the AOC might be monitoring)
Tursan, Coteaux de Pierrevert (red)

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