Rich, satisfying Fall on a plate from Nigel Slater.
Ingredients:
3 T olive oil
4 chicken thighs
2 medium onions, roughly chopped
1 medium potato, chopped
14 oz chestnut mushrooms
2 sprigs of rosemary
6 whole black peppercorns
2 bay leaves (optional)
2 cups cider
chopped fresh parsley, to garnish
Warm oil in a shallow pan.
Season the chicken thighs with salt and black pepper, then place them, skin side down, in the pan, and let them cook until the skins turn pale gold in colour. Turn the thighs over and lightly brown the other side.
Remove the thighs to a plate and add the chopped onions to the pan, with a splash more oil if needed. Let them cook over a moderate heat for a good 10 minutes until they are starting to soften.
Add the mushrooms to the pan, together with the leaves from the sprigs of rosemary, peppercorns and bay leaves if you have them.
Let the mushrooms cook, adding a little more oil if you wish, until they are glossy, then add the chopped potatc, stir, and let it cook for a few minutes.
Pour in the cider and bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer, return the chicken pieces to the pan and partially cover with a lid.
Leave the chicken and vegetables to simmer for about 35 minutes, until the chicken is tender. Check and correct the seasoning as you wish.
Chop a couple of T of parsley and stir into the juices. Serve in a bowl with plenty of juice from the pan.
