Navigating the Rut

I know it's inevitable, we get wrapped up in the day-to-day of our lives and really just stop thinking about certain things. We get up, dress, work, drive... We roam around in a fog doing things automatically... and we make rationalizations for it.

That sandwich shop you've eaten a turkey on rye every day for the last two weeks - 

I'm busy, it's my Go To lunch (and you've got a little lettuce on your chin... again...)

That you pull on the same yoga pants and sweat shirt when you walk in the door -

 they're my Go To lounge wear (never mind they're thread-bare and you look like a hobo)

That you've worn the same suit as long as anyone can remember - 

It's classic... and besides, it's my Go To suit (the padded shoulders do make you look taller)

... your go to dinner, you can make with your eyes closed

... that go to restaurant, that serves a little bit of everything so no one has to think

... the go to market, you instinctively know where everything is without looking

... the go to friends, because they're undemanding and just easy...

I've been in a spice rut, and I know.. it's a hard habit to break. I realized the other day that I primarily cook with a distinct set of aromatics. Everything has some form of allium. Garlic, onions, shallots, chives - I use them all, and I use them with gusto! Rosemary and citrus zest is always there on the ready, as are chilies and cumin. Which, in moderation, there's absolutely nothing wrong with it. But they're my Go To seasonings. If a soup is a little bland, ah well... it needs a little garlic and cumin to round things out.

Looking at those carrots from this week's trip to the farmers market, my head kicked in with the old mantra... cumin, garlic and some zest...
... and I realized just how programmed I'd let myself become. I used to experiment with / and use a lot of different seasonings - and I mean a lot! The spice rack attests to that. But when cumin and garlic powder become a staple on the grocery list, something really has to give.

I'm determined to make some changes; not everything needs a ton of help to make it taste good. Those carrots? They're getting something really simple - and the same with tonight's roasted chicken. There are things you can do that are amazingly simple, but impart such incredible flavors. I'm on a journey to find them.

Now if I can just get that nutmeg monkey off my back...
but you know, baby steps...

Roasted Chantenay Carrots
Chantenay carrots are large, stout, red-cored root vegetables, with surprisingly tender centers. Slow roasting concentrates the flavors while giving them a softer, delicious mouth feel.
Serves 2 to 4
Ingredients
2 Chantenay Carrots (really figure on 1/2 a carrot per person for a typical serving)
1/4 Cup Butter or substitute
Salt and Pepper to Taste
1/4 Cup Honey
Baking Dish
Medium Skillet

• Preheat over to 375
• Peel and quarter the carrots
• Place in a shallow baking dish season and dot with the butter
• Cover tightly with foil and bake for 60 minutes
• Transfer carrots and braising liquid to  a skillet
• On medium high heat, add the honey and toss lightly until the glaze thickens
• Top with a little Kosher salt and pepper and serve

The Chicken Roast
Recently, with all the One from Column B recipes, I've kind of gotten interested in playing with starch as a marinade. I'm sure there are some really good food science reasons as to why it works the way it does - and some people might be interested in that aspect, but I'm not. I'm just fascinated at the way it aids in tenderizing the meat and sealing in the juices. It's really quite something.
Poking through the poultry counter the other day, I wondered how a starch based marinade would work on a whole roasted bird. I decided to pick up a small 2.5 pound fryer and give it a try.

Plate Fodder 
Starch Roasted Chicken
Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients
1- 2 to 3 Pound Whole Fryer
1/4 Cup Corn or Tapioca Starch
2 Tablespoons Cider Vinegar
1 Teaspoon Salt
1 Tablespoon Ground Black Pepper
2 Teaspoons Poultry Seasoning (it's essentially thyme and sage - feel free to use a tsp of each, instead)
1 Large Zipper bag
Roasting Pan with Rack
Foil to Cover

• Mix together the vinegar, seasonings and starch into a slurry
• Rub evenly into all surfaces of the bird - inside and out
• Place the coated bird and any giblets in the zipper bag, squitch around a bit,  press out the excess air and chill for 1 hour
• Preheat oven to 375
• Pl the bird and giblets separately on the rack, cover tightly with foil and roast for 1 hour at 375

• Raise the temp to 400, remove the foil and cook until the skin browns and crispens (about 15 to 20 minutes)
• Eat the giblets while the chicken rests ( the starch creates a delicious coating on them)
• Transfer to a cutting board and carve
• 
  

 Fresh Fig Tart
My absolute favorite pie growing up was my grandmother's Damson Plum Pie; custard and little plum halves - it was a perfect combination of sweet, fruit and rich egginess. I meant to try a rework on her family recipe last week, but there were no figs to be had... anywhere.

Luckily, this week they were in abundance. I picked up a quart of Brown Turkey Figs, which is around 2 cups of  cleaned and stemmed figs

Plate Fodder 
Fig Tart

The original try at this recipe was without the fig jam glaze on top. However, after the custard had cooled, the caramelized fig halves were beginning to separate from the custard and made the pie unappetizing. I quickly whipped up a quick fig jam with the remaining fruit and concealed the aberration under a glossy coat of figginess. The "fix" turned out so well, I've added it back into the finished recipe.
Makes 1 - 9" Pie
Ingredients
1 Cup Fresh Ripe Figs
3/4 Cup Coconut Milk

3/4 Cup Sugar
3 Large Eggs
1/2 Cup Butter or Butter Substitute (softened)
1/4 Cup Lactose Free Milk (or Non Milk substitute)
Nutmeg
Crust:
1/4 Cup Self Rising Flour

3/4 Cup Plain Flour
1/4 Cup Ice Water
1/2 Teaspoon White Vinegar
1 Tablespoon Sugar
1/4 Cup Crisco
Jam Glaze:
1 Cup Figs - Diced
1/2 Cup Sugar
1 Tablespoon Cider Vinegar

9" Pie Pan

Assorted Mixing Bowls

Make the Crust:

• Mix together the SR flour, vinegar, ice water with a whisk to create a slurry
• Sift together the sugar and AP Flour, and cut in the Crisco
• Add the slurry gradually back to the flour and mix to bring together
• Form a ball, wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes
• Press into the pie plate with as thin a layer as possible, pushing the dough as far up the sides as you can.

Make the Jam:

• Dice the figs and place in a small sauce pan with the sugar and vinegar
• Heat on medium heat - stirring occasionally -  until the jam reduces by 2/3
• Remove from the heat and set aside

Make the Pie:

• In a large bowl, beat together the coconut milk, eggs, sugar, butter, milk and nutmeg until smooth
• Slice each of the figs in half and line the bottom of the pie plate - cut side up
• Pour the custard over the top of the figs
• Place in a 375 Degree oven and bake for about 1 hour. (Time will differ depending on size and ripeness of the figs) You want the figs to begin to caramelize and the top to be lightly browned
• Cool on a rack
• Spread enough of the fig jam over the top of the pie to create a smooth even layer
• Chill thoroughly before serving

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