RECIPE: "Nigel Slater" Chicken and Balsamic Tomatoes

This is a family favourite recipe that we've been enjoying for years - probably since we very first heard of Nigel Slater. The funny thing is it isn't one of his recipes! But it was inspired by his general cooking style and attitude to food - the first time I made it, one of us said "This could almost have been made by Nigel Slater" and the name stuck.

Sorry if the photo's a bit blurry - I was anxious to tuck in!

To serve two, you will need

2 plump chicken breasts with skin (and ideally on the bone, but they are hard to get unless you cut up a whole chicken)
about 80g sliced mushrooms
a knob of butter
2 tablespoons dry sherry
3 tablespoons double cream (longlife cream or Elmlea is less likely to split in cooking)

Melt the butter in a frying pan and place the chicken breasts in the pan skin side down. Fry until skin is golden-brown then turn them over and add the mushrooms to the pan, stirring them into the buttery juices. When they are soft, tip in the sherry (stand back!), mix it well then reduce the heat to very low and cook until the chicken breasts are cooked through, about 15 minutes depending on the size. Keep an eye on the liquid, adding a splash of stock or water if the pan gets too dry. It needs very little liquid but not none at all.

Stir in the cream and turn the portions over a couple of times in it until well coated, check seasoning and serve.

We sometimes ring the changes by replacing the sherry with wine or lemon juice, and sometimes add fresh herbs - thyme, chives or parsley- so it is a slightly different dish every time. I sometimes make Parmesan crisps for a tasty garnish.

I served it with rice (lovely for mopping up the juices), steamed broccoli, runner beans and Balsamic Tomatoes.

For the tomatoes, slice a small onion or shallot and place in the bottom of an ovenproof dish. Halve 3 medium tomatoes and place, cut side up, on top of the onions. Drizzle each with olive oil, balsamic vinegar (you will need about a tablespoon in total) and season with salt and pepper then bake in a moderate oven for about 20 minutes.