So, I like Valentine's Day in the way that I still would like to sit down and make paper doll garland. And, I like it in the way that memories come flooding back of the little piles of candy hearts my mom used to leave around the house, in my lunch and with tiny love notes, - everywhere, until I was, oh, I don't know, eighteen, on this silly holiday. But, I do not like the sardine-packed tables for two with prix fixe menus all over the city and people inappropriately dressed up. No, no, no. None of that, please. So instead, I did this with Beth and Schaeffer:
Menu
Parsley Potatoes (#46)
Green Beans Almondine
Chocolate Souffle (#47)
I'd seen the Youtube recipe link for the chicken awhile back, but being scared of chicken with bones, I had never found the courage to tackle it. Wow am I happy I got over that fear! Chicken with bones? Yeah, it totally rocks. And this preparation was so incredibly simple.
Super fast chopping!
Just toss three lemons, halved and juiced, six crushed garlic cloves, three sprigs rosemary, five or six sprigs of thyme, salt and pepper, with the chicken. Stuff everything (you won't get all the lemon rinds) inside the chicken and tie the legs together with poultry twine. Bake at 400 degrees for 1 hour and 15 minutes, and...
Voila! The world's most beautiful chicken.
The lemon flavor was just right. And, you know, you really need to be careful with lemon . There is such a fine line between, "Wait, there's lemon in this?" and "Wait, there's chicken in this?" This recipe got it just right. And it was perfectly juicy.
The potatoes were super simple also. In a bowl just toss scrubbed whole small red-skinned and baby Yukons with a generous shake of olive oil, handful of salt and pepper and about a 1/2 cup of chopped parsley. Bake these with the chicken, and they came out with a good crisp on the outside.
Steamed green beans seasoned with salt and pepper and 1/2 tablespoon of butter and a handful of crushed almonds. To hell with all the prix fixe nonsense. I mean, look at this plate.
Bellissimo!
Which brings me to the souffle. I followed every step, whipped every egg white and folded both sets of ingredients into one another oh-so-gently. And, man, did it look oh-so-pretty. It seems, although quite appropriate given the 'holiday', we are caught again by the deception of looks!
C'est bon!
But, friends, it didn't cook an inch below the surface. I'm not sure why and plan to seek a souffle-advice-giver somewhere in the near future to inquire about my missteps. But, that being said, the top of the souffle...topped with whipped cream and very thinly sliced (as per Beth's request) strawberries, was absolument délicieux!
For having no Hallmark cards, high expectations or posh food (i.e. foamed shrimp) on the plate, I think this Valentine's Day came and went pretty satisfactorily. Not too shabby.
253 to go...
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