Walking the Line

"Vacation" vanished
Wallet laid waste
Friday, leaving me famished
My feet weary and worn.

A new bicycle to build, a frame and two wheels
Little more, and still
Like this weary wanderer on two feet
Walking the same paths but new to stray

Normally so frugal, untiringly brutal
But sometimes we must rust and make right
A week tiring and outwardly quiet
But inwardly tired and spent lying
That blandness is better than comfort and flavor

Spring's coming both late and premature:
It's still cold in late march and too soon for spring
Still, too cold for this date, and grey in lieu of green.

A spring Chicken, complete with harvests both past and "present"
The finest Roast Chicken for one You've had since fall.

Four Season Spring Chicken

• 1 Bone-in Chicken Thigh (1/2-3/4 lb)
• 1 Handful chopped Kale
• 1/4 of a small butternut squash, halved and sliced 1/2" thick
• 4-6 Cherry tomatoes
• 1/2 cup Button Mushrooms (or preferred variety), halved
• 1/2 small onion, sliced
• 1 small Radish, sliced
• 1 cup coarsely chopped red cabbage
• 3 Tbsp Rye or other such liquor - white wine? (Stock would work fine too!) to de-glaze.
• 1 tsp Mirin
• Salt and pepper as necessary
• Ground sage, Herbs de Provence
• Brown Rice to serve, perhaps petite potatoes roasted or mashed?

Fine Butternut Rye to deglaze. Better than straight, sweet and squash-y

Pre-Brick

Post-Crisp

Dredge Thigh in Salt and Pepper, keeping most of the skin on the exterior. Mix sliced squash with kale and radish, toss with Mirin, salt, pepper, and sage. Place in Parchment and roast en sac for 30-40 minutes at 400F until soft. Heat a pan in the meantime and separately a cast iron skillet or similar heat-retaining replacement for a brick. When hot, place thigh in hot pan and after a moment, cover with Parchment paper and top with second heated pan or brick. Let cook for 2-4 minutes on high heat before uncovering and reducing to medium high. Add vegetables uncooked and deglaze with liquid of choice. Remove from heat after 3-4 minutes and (assuming the roast squash mixture is soft) add to pan and remove all ingredients in pan to Oven at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. After this time, set to broil for approximately 5 minutes, careful to allow Thigh to remain exposed to heat and not to allow the contents to burn. 

Serve atop starch of choice and spoon any juices from pan onto chicken before serving.

Lesson learned?

Plan ahead, don't burn the Knife Handle, and all things will come out as hoped in its thaw.