Cookbook Challenge #2

Click picture for more information on my cookbook challenge :)

The latest recipe plucked from a cookbook to come to life in my kitchen came from this book:

Nigel Slater's Real Food. I really love the way he writes, the descriptions of the food are so evocative and I can just sit and read this as a novel rather than a cookery book.

So, on Tuesday I decided to make Griddled Mustard and Herb Chicken. I was a little dubious of the marinade initially - mustard, herbs, red wine vinegar and oil... To me it seemed like I was making a salad dressing *laughs*

I used thyme instead of the parsely specified in the recipe - partly because I already had fresh thyme but mostly because I really don't like parsley ;) And I used chicken breasts rather than thighs because that's what I had defrosted. Other than that I pretty much followed the recipe as it was written.

Mmmmm.... It was really tasty, much more so than I expected actually. I've had mustardy chicken before, but usually with wholegrain whereas this was Dijon (french mustard). It gave it a great flavour without being too hot.

The recipe did tell me to throw the marinade into the griddle pan after taking the chicken out... Well that didn't go so well! My kitchen surfaces received a nice coating, as did I, and the marinade seemed to congeal in a bizarre and not pleasant way *grimaces* Not sure what I did wrong there. But never mind, it was enjoyable without, anyway.

We had it with tiny roast potatoes - essentially new potatoes cut in half/quarters and roasted in duck fat (usually I roast them in oil with garlic and rosemary based on my mum's recipe, but I had some duck fat which makes them extra crunchy, and there was enough flavour in the chicken not to need to flavour the potatoes so heavily).

See, crunchy *grins*

Now, due to my failure to ever remember to cook additional vegetables, the plate didn't look fantastically photogenic - everything being pretty much the same colour *laughs* So that would explain why you get close-ups rather than a proper photo ;)