comfort

Do you ever just crave a rotisserie chicken? My mouth would always start salivating as soon as I approached the rounded display with rotisseries stacked in those signature dome-ish containers - that are only $6. And there's always a fantastic smokey, roasty, fatty, savory aroma lingering over the farmers markets around here from Roli Roti. I used to peel off the skin (because that's where all the flavor is) as soon as it hit the dinner table and leave the naked meat for my parents like a good and thoughtful daughter. But actually... with the amount of times I've seen people pick off the skin and toss it in the trash pile with the bones (WHAT ARE YOU EVEN DOING?!?!?), I guess I'm doing all the favors for eating the skin first.

So chicken protein isolate powder (CPI?) is a thing. Perhaps I'm behind the times on this one, but I'm going to excuse myself and say I'm not a body builder. They also sell chicken fat ... which is ultimately the reason why I always opt for a whole chicken when I can.

Molly Yeh's hot tot pot

2 celery stalks
1 carrot
half onion
a couple sprigs thyme
salt and peppa
chicken fat
wine to deglaze (optional)

1.5 c milk
1 roll chestnut bread

shredded chicken from roasted chicken
peas

tots

I get satisfaction from cooking veggies in reserved fat. Chicken, bacon, beef, what have you - save that shit. And just because I couldn't resist letting any of it go to waste, I crumbled the chestnut bread into the chicken roasting pan first to soak it all up. And then that went into the creamy filling to thicken in lieu of the roux.

And then chicken chunks. And then frozen peas.

And then the totsssssssssss.

And then bake. By the by, I think if this happens again, it'd really benefit from some butter brushed right on top before going into the oven.
And then general gratification in gobbling gluttonous grub.

And then make a stock with the bones, of course.