This is a quick-time version of the classic French poulet a l'estragon (though you could speed it up further by bashing out the chicken breast or by using a turkey cutlet in its place, which would make this dish pleasingly alliterative) and is an instant reminder of the comforts of old-school cooking. Tender chicken (it's the poaching early on that sees to this), aromatically fresh and insistently herbal tarragon, a generous splosh of vermouth, all rounded off by rich, pale cream: this has the nostalgic, yet robust, charm of that French bistro of fond memory or happy imaginings. If you can't get fresh tarragon, do not despair: just double the freeze-dried tarragon at the start and add some freshly chopped parsley at the end. And I can assure you it would be worth your while considering a teaspoon of tarragon mustard, too, along with the cream. About which, please don't wimp out on me: this is old-fashioned cooking which cannot be proscribed by new-age dietary concerns. But, if you insist, halve the cream, and add another 2 tablespoons of vermouth when you're pouring the rest in after the chicken's had its first 5 minutes cooking. Eat with a tumbled mixture of French or green beans and asparagus tips along with steamed baby white-skinned potatoes or, hard to beat for me, some white basmati rice forked through with a soupcon of butter and freshly ground white pepper.

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons garlic oil
• 2 fat scallions or 4 skinny ones, thinly sliced
• 1/2 teaspoon freeze-dried tarragon
• 2 chicken breast fillets, skinless and boneless
• 1/3 cup vermouth or white wine
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt or 1/4 teaspoon table salt
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• Fresh white pepper, to grind over
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh tarragon, plus a pinch more for sprinkling

Directions