Chicken Crepes in Sherried Mornay Sauce

Another wonderful recipe from my friend, Gaye. This take a little prep work, but the end result is restaurant quality that will impress your dinner guests. These are WONDERFUL! I especially like the fact that they can be made ahead of time.I make Crepes Aux Fines Herbes,#225395, to fill with the chicken mixture.

• Ready In: 2 hrs
• Serves: 8
• Yields: 16 crepes

Ingredients

• Filling

• 1 (3 -4 lb)  roasting chickens
• 4  celery ribs, chopped
• 1  large onion, peeled and chopped
• 1  bay leaf
• 3  bunches green onions, chopped
• 1⁄2 lb fresh mushrooms, sliced
• 1⁄4 cup butter
• 1 (10 ounce) package spinach, cooked and drained well (I squeeze mine out in a clean dishtowel)
• 1 (10 ounce) can  cream of chicken soup
• 1  teaspoon sugar
• 1⁄2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons salt
• 1  teaspoon pepper
• 1  teaspoon dry mustard
• 2  tablespoons dry sherry
• 1  tablespoon msg (optional)

• Sherried Mornay Sauce

• 2  tablespoons butter
• 3  tablespoons flour
• 1  cup  hot milk
• 1  teaspoon salt
• 1⁄4 teaspoon white pepper
• 1⁄2 cup heavy cream
• 1⁄4 cup dry sherry
• 1⁄2 cup swiss cheese, shredded
• 1⁄4 teaspoon nutmeg (to taste)
•  parmesan cheese, to sprinkle top with
•  paprika, to sprinkle top with

Directions

1. Cook chicken in water with the celery, onion, and bay leaf until it is done, about 35-45 minutes. Remove from the stock and cool.
2. Remove meat from the bones, discarding the skin anhd chop into bite sized pieces. Reserve stock for another use after defatting it.
3. While chicken is cooking,saute the green onions and mushrooms in the butter until just tender.
4. Add well-drained spinach,undiluted soup.chicken,and seasonings and mix well until totally blended.
5. Place a heaping spoonful of the mixture in the center of each crepe and roll.
6. Place in a shallow oven-proof dish, seam side down.
7. Cover with the sherried mornay sauce, sprinkle the top with the parmesean cheese and paprika and bake until hot, about 20-30 minutes in a preheated 350 degree oven.
8. Crepes can be filled, quick-frozen on cookie sheets, then transfered to plastic bags for freezer storage. Do not freeze the sauce.
9. This dish can also be prepared early in the day ( sauce and all), covered, and refrigerated. If refrigerated, cover with foil and bake for about 35 minutes; remove foil and bake about 10 minutes longer until sauce is bubbling.
10. A serving is two crepes per person.
11. Sherried Mornay Sauce:
12. Make a white roux with the butter and flour.
13. Add milk and whisk over medium heat.
14. Boil 1 minute, whisking constantly.
15. Remove from heat and add salt, pepper, cream, and sherry.
16. Bring to a simmer while whisking, and add cheese and nutmeg.Whisk until cheese is completely melted, then remove from heat.
17. Pour sauce over crepes and top with a sprinkling of parmesean and paprika.
18. Serve with any extra sauce.