What We Eat When We Eat Alone - Deborah Madison [65]
Quite in contrast to the well-thought-out menu approach is a story Eugene Walter tells in the book Milking the Moon. When he lived in New York as a young man, he loved to entertain and did so whenever money was available for a party. Once, when the check he was counting on didn’t come through but he had already invited people to a soiree, he was forced to work with what he had on hand, which wasn’t a lot. So he decorated his table with red crepe paper, put out two big jars of peanut butter, and added a festive array of breads and rolls obtained from a bakery where he happened to have credit. He had red wine to drink and everyone had a great time. The most important ingredient here, though, was flair, and Eugene Walter had plenty of that!
Even though I know how to cook all kinds of things, one of my happiest dinners was one thrown together on the spur of the moment for friends we had run into at an art opening in our village. Because we live in the country and can’t just dash to the store, I had to cook from the contents of what happened to be a rather spare pantry. But after a short while, we were all sitting down to a big platter of spaghetti with tomato sauce made from canned tomatoes, which I bolstered with bits of smoked dried tomatoes and a handful of fresh parsley. The simplest food possible, but it was so good and the evening was such fun that I remember thinking in the middle of it all how glad I was I knew how to cook, even if it was nothing more than spaghetti and tomato sauce. One thing I do know is this: If we had had to go out to a restaurant in town, the gathering never would have happened and we would have parted in a haze of promises for a future dinner that probably wouldn’t have materialized either.
So what handful of recipes should be included for younger cooks, or those just starting out regardless of age? We thought of foods that are relatively inexpensive, foods that provide a meal you can eat from for a while, and foods that aren’t super-involved to make. Actually, this description applies to most of the recipes in this book.
Some foods we think are especially good to know how to make include a pasta you can make from what’s in the cupboard; a green salad; a roast chicken and a stock from its carcass; polenta or mashed potatoes to go with it; a vegetable or two; a frittata, which is inexpensive, nourishing, and endlessly varied; a confidence building pot of brown or white rice; and a vegetarian stir-fry and tofu curry to go with it. So here are these dishes, many of them tested by young friends who—smartly—have learned how to cook at least a few good things.
Roast Chicken
This marvelously versatile bird may look like a lot of food for one person. But think of it as the stuff of Sunday dinner, Monday’s sandwiches, Wednesday’s salad, and after that, soup. Ultimately a chicken is a sound investment.
If you’ve never roasted a whole chicken, be sure to reach inside the bird to take out any packages you find. They contain the neck, gizzard, heart, and liver. The liver is delicious fried in a little butter, deglazed with vinegar, and eaten on toast. As for the other parts, add them to the stock.
1 CHICKEN, WEIGHING ABOUT 3 TO 4 POUNDS
OLIVE OIL
SALT AND PEPPER
1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. First pull out the two big globs of fat you’ll find near the cavity’s opening, then quickly rinse the bird inside and out with cold water. Blot with paper towels, getting it as dry as possible. Brush the olive oil over the skin, then season the bird well, both inside and out, with