Chicken with sorrel sauce

Preparation

1. Step 1

   Pick over the sorrel. Discard any tough stems and blemished leaves. Rinse the leaves and pat them dry. Pack the leaves closely and cut them crosswise into very thin strips. This is called a chiffonade There should be about two cups or slightly more when loosely packed.

2. Step 2

   Pat the chicken breast halves lightly with a flat mallet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

3. Step 3

   Prepare the mushrooms and set them aside.

4. Step 4

   Heat one tablespoon of the butter in a saucepan and add the shallots. Cook briefly, stirring, and add the mushrooms. Cook until the mushrooms give up their liquid and the liquid evaporates. Add the sorrel and cook, stirring, until the sorrel wilts. Add the cream, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Cook about two minutes. Set aside.

5. Step 5

   Heat the remaining two tablespoons of butter in a heavy skillet and add the chicken breast pieces. Cook, turning the pieces occasionally, until cooked through, about six to eight minutes.

6. Step 6

   Pour the sorrel sauce into a heat- proof dish and bring to the boil, stirring. Arrange the chicken pieces on top. Spoon the sauce over the chicken and serve.