Let's start with one success I'm particularly proud of: a roast chicken. Who knew it was so easy? Thomas Keller, of French Laundry fame, gave me this recipe which turned out beautifully. If the smoke detector hadn't gone off thirty times during the process, it would have been perfect!
Ingredients:
- One 2- to 3-pound farm-raised chicken
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons minced thyme (optional)
- Unsalted butter
- Dijon mustard
Preheat the oven to 450°F. Rinse the chicken, then dry it very well with paper towels, inside and out. The less it steams, the drier the heat, the better.
Salt and pepper the cavity, then truss the bird. Trussing is not difficult, and if you roast chicken often, it's a good technique to feel comfortable with. When you truss a bird, the wings and legs stay close to the body; the ends of the drumsticks cover the top of the breast and keep it from drying out. Trussing helps the chicken to cook evenly, and it also makes for a more beautiful roasted bird.
Now, salt the chicken—I like to rain the salt over the bird so that it has a nice uniform coating that will result in a crisp, salty, flavorful skin (about 1 tablespoon). When it's cooked, you should still be able to make out the salt baked onto the crisp skin. Season to taste with pepper.
Place the chicken in a sauté pan or roasting pan and, when the oven is up to temperature, put the chicken in the oven. I leave it alone—I don't baste it, I don't add butter; you can if you wish, but I feel this creates steam, which I don't want. Roast it until it's done, 50 to 60 minutes. Remove it from the oven and add the thyme, if using, to the pan. Baste the chicken with the juices and thyme and let it rest for 15 minutes on a cutting board.
Remove the twine. Separate the middle wing joint and eat that immediately. Remove the legs and thighs. I like to take off the backbone and eat one of the oysters, the two succulent morsels of meat embedded here, and give the other to the person I'm cooking with. But I take the chicken butt for myself. I could never understand why my brothers always fought over that triangular tip—until one day I got the crispy, juicy fat myself. These are the cook's rewards. Cut the breast down the middle and serve it on the bone, with one wing joint still attached to each. The preparation is not meant to be superelegant. Slather the meat with fresh butter. Serve with mustard on the side and, if you wish, a simple green salad. You'll start using a knife and fork, but finish with your fingers, because it's so good.
Other highlights of the past few weeks:
- The wedding of one of Tim's coworker friends from Bain at the Thomas Fogerty Winery. I can't imagine a more beautiful setting, overlooking the Santa Cruz mountains. (image courtesy of google)
- Seeing Parker play a show at the Brainwash Cafe in SOMA. Hanging out with Jane and Parker in the city was somewhat of a time/space warp, but needless to say it was super fun getting to catch up.
- My birthday. Ahh, my birthday! So special, so much fun. I was really surprised how many people actually *remembered* my birthday, no less sending me emails and tokens of affection :) A few of my friends and I went to Beretta for dinner, followed by drinks at the Latin American Club and dancing the night away at the Makeout Room. Natalie even made the trek from Sonoma to say hello - even though she was recording with Ben Folds the next day!! Photos to come.
Okay, ONE more recipe winner, since I'm making up for lost time. This one's really delicious, and pretty darn easy:
Mascarpone-Filled Cake with Sherried Berries
Drool away, my friends!
Finally, books. I've read some fantastic books lately. Favorites listed below:
- The English Patient, Michael Ondaatje
- The Shadow of the Wind, Carlos Ruiz-Zafon
- The World According to Garp, John Irving
And now, I'm reading The Lonely Polygamist by Brady Udall... on my Kindle!! It's hilarious, and I absolutely LOVE reading it on the Kindle. The only downside is that I can't share it with anyone...
Stomach growling. Too many food photos. Updates soon!
