This weeks Cookbook Challenge comes courtesy of the Hairy Bikers. In 2009
the Hairy Bikers presented a cookery show where they toured Britain and cooked up dishes using local recipes and ingredients. I bought the accompanying book and have made a couple of the recipes religiously. However my cookbook challenge gives me the incentive to try something new so today it is Somerset Chicken.Now living on the Isle of Skye I’m clearly far away from Somerset so you’ll 
have to forgive me the if some of the ingredients for the Somerset Chicken aren’t as local to Somerset as was originally intended. My Cheddar was Scottish, the Cider was Co-op own brand and my fresh sage was dried but I have to work with what I can source. I changed the recipe quantity slightly as I was only cooking for two and the original recipe serves 6.
My accompanying potatoes were mini jackets cooked with sea salt and rosemary rather than large jackets. I will post a recipe for these separately. Despite these subtle changes the Somerset Chicken dish was delicious and will remain in my go to repertoire.
Somerset Chicken
Ingredients
2 boneless chicken breast, skin on if you can get them (I had to use skinless)
2 tbsp rapeseed oil
25g butter
1 sliced onion
2 tbsp plain flour
1 teaspoon grain mustard
1 dessert apple, peeled and sliced (I used a Bramley apple)
35g sliced button mushrooms
150ml chicken stock
150ml cider
100ml double cream
1 teaspoon chopped sage leaves (I used dried sage)
100g grated cheddar cheese
Method
Preheat the oven to 200c.
Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper.
In a large frying/saute pan heat 1 tbsp of rapeseed oil and half of the butter.
Fry the chicken breasts for a couple of minutes on each side, they should turn slightly golden in colour.
Place in a deep sided oven proof dish and cook for 25 minutes.
Add the remaining butter and oil to the pan, cook the onions for 4-5 minutes 
until softened but not coloured.
Next add the flour and the mustard and cook for a further 2 minutes.
Now add the apples and mushrooms and continue to cook for another minute.
Pour in the chicken stock and bring to the boil. Add the cider and bring back to the boil and cook gently for 5 minutes.
Finally add the double cream and the sage and cook for a further 5 minutes.
When the chicken has been cooking for 25 minutes remove from the oven and 
pour over the sauce you have just made.
Preheat a grill to high.
Sprinkle the cheddar cheese over the chicken and grill for about 5 minutes until the cheese is golden and bubbling.
I served this Somerset Chicken with Mini Sea Salt & Rosemary Jacket Potatoes and steam broccoli and carrots.
