my mom just sent me keller’s latest book . she knew i wanted this one and sure enough it showed up at my door – a heavy box from barnes & noble with a gift wrapped package inside bearing a little note that said, "because i love you". i’d recently surprised her in nyc for her 75th birthday and this was a delightful thank you. i suppose it could have been a ‘first night of (c)hanukah’ gift, but those days of a-gift-a-night for 8 nights, long the envy of my goyim friends – are long behind me, now replaced by one signed check. which funny enough, always fits me perfectly.
she also knows i’m a big fan of thomas keller. as i’m sure you’re well aware, the man is quite simply an extraordinary chef. i’ve eaten at per se only twice, but both times were sublime. and when i next find myself in napa, it won’t be french laundry that i first run to – it will be ad hoc. the restaurant with no menu. you come. you sit. and you’re served whatever 4 courses they’ve prepared for that evening. perfect.
if you’ve ever dined out with me, you’ll know that i rarely care what’s ordered. feel free to choose what you’d like for me to have so that we can share. i may narrow it down or make suggestions, but there’s nothing i don’t eat. nothing that will make me cringe. nothing that will disappoint me. my one request is just to make it damn good. i’m easy to feed.
(ok, eyeballs. i don’t do eyeballs. that squicks me out. and insects. but after that you’re relatively safe to serve me whatever you’d like.)
as my first foray into the book i decided on this particular dish because – it was easy. it was thomas keller’s food, it was going to be a cinch to make and i had all but 3 ingredients. so i ran out to get the chicken thighs, the olives and the fennel bulbs (3 for $15 – i was mortified). and then suddenly i began to feel as though i was relapsing into the miserable head cold that had taken me down earlier in the week. except now it was moving south into my chest, my voice dropping 2 definite octaves leaving me feeling wiped out, with the thought of cooking anything, incredibly unappealing..
ENTER: chris widick.
i love a man with tongs in his hand…
chris was coming by to pick up a big wooden crate that had transported 6 amazing mies van der rohe chairs that i’d recently scored on ebay. he has big plans of turning the thing into a huge smoker and i wanted it cleared out of my driveway asap. yet another example of one woman’s box being another man’s meat locker. sorry. that was just TOO DAMN GOOD TO RESIST. anyway, before i digress any further, chris regularly butchers whole animals in his garage and makes things such as venison pate, guanciale and pancetta and i am proud to know him.
but now i had to cook dinner for some friends. and i was spiraling into chest cold oblivion. and well, let me explain the chris ‘thing’. besides going on about how chris widick is a prince of a man and that i appreciate his innate kindness and goodness, NOT TO MENTION his teflon resilience when i get all up and down his shit while he’s cooking in my kitchen… he’s been a good friend to me in the 2 or so years that i’ve known him. he was one of my early ceF readers and we met at a food related event here in town which i love to relentlessly tease him about because he acted all star struck and wouldn’t stop talking out of nervousness and obviously thought i was WAY COOLER AND MORE IMPORTANT than he now knows i really am. which was totally adorable. these days he comes over and i’m usually half dressed, somewhat disheveled but always in my kitchen, and we inevitably get to cooking and chatting and generally having a pretty nice time together.
but this is what’s key. and readers…this is my big secret. and look, it’s just the truth. i make no excuses. i’m a home cook who fancies herself an executive chef. because ALL I WANT TO DO is have you do nearly all the work while i watch carefully and make every decision. BECAUSE I AM REALLY GOOD AT THAT
so chris assumed the position, knife in hand, towel over his shoulder and i sat there and said things like, "browner…" and "more wine…" and "but thomas says to do it this way…" and "not enough salt…" and "the farro is done and needs to be drained now…". and he was sweet and cheerful and always did as i asked.
women, LISTEN UP. he’s single, 39, and he’d make a wonderful partner. especially if you love fine human beings as much as fine food. i mean, THE GUY KILLS THE PIG, CURES THE BELLY AND MAKES HIS OWN BACON FOR GOD’S SAKE plus he has a very good steady day job. chris widick… i am telling you…
oh, i did take some pictures. but that i did for YOU.
after the chicken gets seared, it gets removed from the pan and in goes the onions, garlic and fennel…
next, the wine gets reduced, then add bay leaves, zest, red flakes of pepper, thyme, olives, stock…
then a short braise in the oven
then a minute or two under the broiler
the reason you make 12? leftovers…
it really is an excellent dish. everyone raved. i considered serving it over polenta but went with farro which i think was a good choice but any grain would work nicely.
i’ll do this one again and again…
33 responses so far ↓
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I understand that there are something like three hundred Holocaust Museums/Memorials in the U.S., a country that was not directly (note, directly) involved in the events commemorated. What would be the reaction of Americans if there were three hundred museums of American Indian genocide or three hundred museums of the African slave trade in Germany?
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