Meal Six

Sometime in the autumn, my husband said to me, "You should make that sherry chicken dish."  At that time, I didn't make a sherry chicken dish, so I said, "What sherry chicken dish?"  He said, "You know, the one my mom makes."

Now, if I didn't like my mother-in-law, I could have made all sorts of smarmy comments at this juncture.  I happen to really love my mother-in-law, though, so... sorry.  No smarmy comments or jokes.

Instead, I emailed her and asked for the recipe.  Gotta keep my man happy, right?  Little secret: this dish makes me happy, too.  The sauce only has a few ingredients: onions, mushrooms, tomatoes, basil, salt & pepper, cream and sherry.  But let me just tell you this: cream + sherry is a phenomenal idea.  Unbelievably good.  And the aroma?  Please. 

Sherry Chicken

2-3 chicken breasts

1 cup mushrooms, sliced

1 medium onion, diced

3-4 tomatoes, diced

1 tsp dried basil

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup sherry

1 pint whipping cream

 

Season chicken with salt & pepper, then brown in an oil-coated pan.  Cook chicken thoroughly, then set aside.

 

If necessary, deglaze the pan with a tablespoon of sherry and add more olive oil.  Turn heat to medium and sautée onions and mushrooms until onions are soft.  Sprinkle with dried basil, salt and pepper.

Add the tomatoes and sherry.  Reduce heat and simmer until tomatoes have cooked. 

Pour in the cream and simmer until the sauce has thickened.  Return chicken to pan and simmer until thoroughly heated.

Serve over rice.

I also prepared a simple mixed greens salad with freshly grated parmesan, dressed with oil, vinegar, salt and pepper.

Bon apétit!