When Linda and I were growing up, our mother was always experimenting with recipes. To this day I still have some of her 70’s and 80’s cookbooks. Well, last week I was shopping when I came across a bag of dried Montmorency cherries. This triggered a memory of this delicious chicken my mother used to make. I bought the cherries, called my mom and went to creating a dish I haven’t had in 25 years. Although I made several changes to my mother’s version, it was spectacular. My mother used port but I used a dry white wine. I bought a Bordeaux to use, but changed my mind at the last minute. She also used canned cherries, but I prefer dried. I have to say we ate every last bite… I am definitely using this dish for entertaining.   

Montmorency Cherry Chicken
4 – 6 chicken thighs bone in, skin removed
3 Tbs butter
2 Tbs olive oil
1 cups flour
1 tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
6 oz dried Montmorency cherries
1 cup chopped onions
4-5 large cloves of garlic
3/4 cup white wine
1 cup chicken broth (beef can also be used for this dish)

Mix flour with salt and pepper. Dredge chicken liberally in seasoned flour and set aside. Heat butter and olive oil to medium high heat in a large skillet. Add chicken to heated oil and cook 3 to 5 minutes. Turn heat to medium and continue cooking for a few minutes more. Flip chicken and cook other side of chicken another 8 minutes. Chicken should form a nice golden crust. Remove chicken from skillet and set aside. Add chopped onions and saute for 5 minutes. Next add garlic and dried cherries and saute for an additional 5 minutes. Deglaze pan with white wine and cook additional 3 minutes. Add chicken stock (or beef). Return chicken to the pan and cook covered for 8 to 10 minutes on medium. The flour on the chicken will thicken the sauce. Serve with mashed potatoes and cauliflower mix.

Mashed Potato and Cauliflower
4 medium potatoes
2 cups cut up cauliflower (I use only the stalks and reserve the florets for another dish)
2 Tbs butter
salt and pepper to taste
¼ cup milk

Peel and cut up potatoes. Cut up cauliflower into small pieces. Place together in a medium sized pot and cover generously with water. Salt water and boil until both potatoes and cauliflower are fork tender.
Strain and return to pot. Add butter, milk and salt and pepper. Mash with mixer or mill until light and fluffy.

Enjoy!

Heidi