LET'S EAT

 



I am not known for my prowess in the kitchen.  In high school I did do a summer stint as a fry cook in a coffee shop by the Newport pier, which toughened me up a bit.  You can’t call yourself a cook until you’ve worked a weekend breakfast shift in a coffee shop.  You’re juggling soft boiled eggs, eggs over-easy, scrambled eggs, oatmeal, crisp bacon, lightly buttered wheat toast and a medium stack, all while kids are running amuck and there is syrup everywhere.  To make matters worse my grill was located in a glassed in enclosure fronting the sidewalk, which made it inviting and easy for my surfing buddies to give me all kinds of grief.    

But I digress.  That doesn’t count when it comes to preparing a romantic meal for you and the wife in your own kitchen.  Not long ago I thought it was time to show her much she meant to me by preparing a meal fit for a queen.

I went to our local bookstore and zeroed in on the cook book section.  All seemed a bit snooty for my taste until I found a section on Rachael Ray.  She had many books but one caught my eye.  The cover had a picture of Rachael standing at a kitchen counter and said “365: NO REPEATS, A YEAR OF DECLICIOUSLY DIFFERENT DINNERS”.  Down at the bottom it said “A 30-MINUTE MEAL COOKBOOK”.  The last part is what sold me. 

Secretly leafing through the book I settle on a meal planned for day 284.  It is called “FOR NEIL DIAMOND: TANGY CHERRY CHICKEN”.  Since I was told by a couple I met on an elevator one time that I looked like Neil Diamond and I love Sweet Caroline, it was an easy choice. 

Glancing over the recipe I realized the ingredients needed were mostly foreign to our cupboards.  This necessitated a trip to the market.  I told Terry she had to be out of the house on the selected day and not to return until dinner time.  Thus the afternoon was free for shopping. 

 

My list included EVOO (my new favorite word which, for those of you not hip, stands for extra virgin olive oil), chicken breast halves, thyme, salt and freshly ground black pepper, red onion, celery ribs, red pepper flakes, freshly grated nutmeg, dry white wine, chicken stock, dried cherries and unsalted butter.  Not being a seasoned shopper I mistakenly bought big sized everything and I walk out with enough to feed a village and wondering how I just blew $112.15.  

With the clock racing I spread out all the ingredients and utensils on the kitchen counter.  I am careful not to place anything more than 1 step away and in the order of need.  Reading Rachael’s instructions is intimidating.  Once the green flag drops there will be many tasks to perform at once, each requiring a precise amount of time.  This is a lot to ask of a male in the kitchen. 

I read and re-read Rachael’s instructions until I had everything committed to memory.  Once the process began with the preheating of a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat with 2 tablespoons of EVOO (twice around the pan) there was no turning back.  It was on. 

First was the cooking of pre-seasoned chicken, 5 to 6 minutes on each side.  Remove chicken and cover with foil, so far so good.  Then things got tricky.  First was to add the remaining EVOO to the skillet then onions, celery, red pepper flakes, nutmeg, salt and pepper and cook for 3-4 minutes.  My head is spinning.  Next, and this is crucial, add the white wine and cook until the pan is almost dry.  FINALLY, add the chicken stock, dried cherries and thyme, cook for about 4-5 minutes, then add the butter and whisk until it has completely melted.  Rachael suggests serving this dish with a green salad and boiled baby potatoes, which I had already prepared. 

 

Terry arrived just as I was pouring the piping hot cherry sauce over the sliced chicken breast.  She was flabbergasted.  She reminded me “I remember you when you wouldn’t even touch lettuce”.  We both agreed that if we did a blind fold taste test using an impartial third party to compare my (Rachael’s) dish with a like dish from Paula Deen it would be a tough call.        

The kitchen looked like a war zone and we could have gone to our favorite restaurant with no dishes to do and tipped generously for about the same money but what’s the fun in that.  I felt good.