The better off chicken.

                                                     

Are we better off today then 3 years ago? Am I clearer, closer to my goals and secure with my relationships and career? Did I find the work-life balance I sought?

I am older and wiser. I have more grey in my hair, cannot run the consistent 7 miles per hour and my discipline seems to be fading away. And then again I don’t pick the battles I cant win anymore. My marriage that seemed like a square peg in a round hole, now is rustic Wabi- Sabi; simple and thoroughly enjoyable rather than perfect. We have had grief and loss that bound us together like saprophytes on the branches of a large tree or moss on the rock. There has been more travel, more museums, more art, more history, more wonderful memories with friends, and more cooking. And yet here I am slow, tired and plodding in ways I have never seen before. Is the alacrity and idealism of youth behind me? Or am I truly tempered with reality and accepting of the vagaries of life?

I read my chicken with root vegetables, garlic and preserved lemon blog from 3 years ago and have made it more often than I have had full nights of sleep the last year. I took fresh pictures and looked at my old ones. I don’t know if I am better off or happier, or wiser than three years ago. But my chicken has the wisdom of advise, practice, and melange of new ingredients. And a new Le Cruset Dutch oven.

I don’t use sweet potatoes anymore, only Yukon gold firm ones. They keep their shape during the punishing heat of the oven. The carrots, celery, and onions are the same. The 40 pieces of garlic are store bought and pre peeled now. An added aromatic earthy flavor is chanterelle mushrooms. Sautéed alone in a pan with oil. All the vegetables are cut, diced and sautéed in a Paella pan which is the new addition to my kitchen. They are then layered at the bottom of the flaming orange Dutch oven.

I still remember Ms. Butterfish telling me that the chicken felt cold and lonely with out her skin. I have never ever removed the skin off any animal there after. Every chicken and every one of us need the layer of protective comforting adipose, as we deserve to desire. I am wiser in taking her advice I suppose.

I experimented further and coated the bird in spicy and smoky harrisa and then sautéing it in a pan. The bird is stuffed with rosemary and thyme. No parsley anymore. I felt it added nothing to the aromatic flavor.

There is nothing like a tangy bite of preserved lemon in left over chicken. And so there is extra preserved lemon and I make sure its store bought as the ones I make are rather bitter. The few preserved chilies in the bottle go in too.

I have realized no matter what the size or shape of the bird, 1 and ½ cups of crisp dry white wine and 1 and ½ cup of chicken broth submerges the bird and vegetables enough for a perfect browned bird flanked by roasted vegetables.

I don’t know if I am in a better place.

But my bird sure is.

Bon appetite!

                                               

Carrot, celery and potatoes.

Chanterelle mushrooms

Onions

Thyme and Rosemary

Crisp white wine and chicken broth.

Saute diced onion, carrots and celery in a Paella pan.

and then the potatoes

40 pieces of garlic go in next

saute mushrooms separately 

  

Preserved lemons with chilies  

Cut the lemons and chilies 

Stuff the bird with rosemary and thyme

Coat the bird with harrisa 

Brown on the paella pan

belly side up....

 Pack a dutch oven with the sauteed vegetables, garlic, preserved lemon and layer rosemary and thyme on the side

Create a little cubicle in the center for the chicken

Cozy the chicken in

Add 1 and 1/2 cups of white wine and 1 and 1/2 cups of chicken broth.

In the oven for 45 min at 400 deg

The better bird