The night before, I spent a few minutes unpackaging a whole chicken. A small chicken. Less than three dollars.
From my counter, I took a lemon which, perhaps, should have been used already, and pierced it with a fork several times. The lemon goes in the cavity of the chicken, the chicken in a cake pan, and the pan in a 400 degree F oven for an hour.
This is the best simple chicken in the world. The meat comes out scented and delicate.
I move the bird to a cutting board, and the drippings to the fridge.
For an evening snack, I eat the skin of the breast, nibbling it in crisp bits as I read the Sunday paper (and wait for the laundry to dry and the dishwasher to finish). By the end of the paper, the bird is cooled enough that I can take the meat off the bones.
This is a process my dog has learned to anticipate with brisk interest, since the gristle and other non-bones go to him (including the rest of the skin, and the fat skimmed from the cooled broth) laid over dry dog kibble.
Now, I have two chicken breasts in one container for future cooking, and the rest of the meat is cubed for tomorrow.
Fast forward to Monday, an hour before lunch. I have green garlic from the farmer's market, which I strip down and chop. It takes a minute or three to peel and cube two parsnips. A bit of water and the skimmed pan drippings, the chopped garlic, parsnips, and chicken, all marry in a pan. Flame on!
Half an hour later, a bit of salt and pepper, and I have a truly marvelous lunch for two. On the side, a slice of bread and butter, and a handful of salad.
Feel free to improvise! Use leftovers of nearly any meat. Try turnips. Onions, leek, or shallots -- or combinations -- would be fine. And remember, at the end of this, you have two lovely chicken breasts for some future meal or meals.
If you use the best ingredients, simple flavors marry beautifully. This is peasant food. It is not time consuming, it is not costly, and it's far more wholesome than what most people might have for lunch in this country today.
Slow food needn't be about $25/lb artisan chevre. It's how you think about food. Everyone lives -- live well. Everyone eats -- eat well!
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