Apple cider chicken

Season the chicken breasts very generously on both sides with salt, black pepper and a pinch of cayenne; set aside a few minutes.

Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Fry whole sage leaves in it until they stop bubbling and start to color; remove, smaller ones first.

Put in the chicken smoothest side down and cook on about medium heat about 4 minutes per side, until just barely cooked through; it finishes in the sauce later. Too high a heat smokes the pan before the inside is cooked.

Remove the chicken to a plate and cover loosely.

Add minced shallots to the pan and sizzle in the hot butter about a minute.

Pour in the apple cider (or apple juice), then the apple cider vinegar. Raise to medium-high, bring to a boil and reduce by half, watching so it does not reduce too far and burn.

Return the chicken with its accumulated juices, drop to low and simmer gently a few minutes until fully heated through and safely cooked, turning it over or basting with the sauce.

Remove the chicken to a serving platter. Off the heat, swirl a cold chunk of butter into the sauce for about a minute until it disappears and the sauce is emulsified and shiny. For a thicker sauce, reduce the liquids further before the butter.

Taste and adjust with salt.

Spoon the sauce over the chicken (served on roasted vegetables), serve the extra alongside, and top each piece with a fried sage leaf.

Variation: the same sauce on pork chops, or change the vinegar, the fruit juice or the protein.