Tuesday, February 05, 2008

A craving, simply satisfied.

Cravings are a funny thing. Very personal. Or of you're lucky you share them with someone close to you so you can indulge in them more often. Last night's dinner was particularly w centric, as it focused on one of her favorite recipes that has found its way onto her list of things of "Things I Crave". This recipe I got out of the Dean and Deluca Cookbook and made for the first time a little over a year ago and it killed. I love it when something so simple delivers huge satisfaction. Now that I think about it, it's kind of the opposite of our president, where someone so simple just continues to disappoint. Which is why this chicken leg concoction is so important, to balance out that karmic wheel. And anytime I get the chance to put some gremolata (left) on anything, chicken, fish, whatever, is an opportunity not to be missed. Just smelling that blend of chopped parsley, garlic, and lemon zest....again, so simple....fills your senses with freshness. Very mindful of spring, which is important in our never ending winter we seem to be experiencing here in PDX. On top of these (not to be redundant, but do you get the theme here?) simple to prepare broiled chicken legs, with a side of creamy, coarse grained polenta, it is, simply, perfection!
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Broiled Chicken Legs w/ Gremolata
from The Dean and Deluca Cookbook

ingredients:
8 chicken legs, boned, skin left on (you can do this yourself by cutting through the skin lengthwise to the bone and scraping down the leg until the meat comes free, then removing any attached bone or cartilage. Easier still is having your meat counter person do it, which they will happily do- BB)
2 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

For gremolata:
2 tablespoons finely chopped Italian parsley
1 medium to large garlic clove, finely minced
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

method:
1- Preheat broiler. Brush both sides of chicken legs with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Arrange on broiler pan, and turning once, cook for approximately four minutes per side

2- While chicken is cooking, prepare gremolata, mixing ingredients together in a small bowl.

3- When chicken is done, arrange on platter, sprinkle gremolata lightly on top of legs, saving some gremolata for the table. Serve immediately.

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