Lemon, Bacon, & Sage

I was in my kitchen yesterday, after reading Julia & Jacques Cooking at Home (Child & Pepin, 1999) for a little inspiration, when suddenly a voice (or presence) was in my head. At a feverish pace, I thoroughly cleaned the chicken roast under hot water (as prescribed by Julia) and patted it dry; place it on a rack to air a bit; heated the oven to 425 degrees (both of them) - then immediately cleaned and cut the golden fingerling potatoes and immediately put them in a bowl of cold salted water; covered tightly; & quickly refrigerated them -  so I could move on to making an herb butter.  The voice continued and became more distinct - it was a man - and then music accompanied his voice. It was so familiar; and something about it was imploring me to race through the kitchen, multitasking like a mad woman; yet it the most calm and organized fashion. That voice - I've heard it before; but where?

Suddenly, it hit me - the presence of a theme was evident in the madness of my (once serene) kitchen - and the formidable voice and theme music grew exponentially as he proclaimed his most infamous challenge upon:
     "Maryanne, today's secret ingredients are: lemon, bacon, & sage... so, with an open heart and an empty stomach, I say unto you in the words of my uncle: Allez Cuisine!" 

Chairman Dacascos was in my kitchen (or at least my head), and the clock was ticking. As I volleyed between dishes, as well as dessert, it was remarkable how everything came together. Once the secret ingredients were revealed, the menu manifested itself:

Bistro Styled Roast Chicken Stuffed with Sage & Lemon;
massaged in herb butter (lemon, rosemary, sage, thyme) and topped with bacon 

Julia & Jacques recommended placing the cleaned bird into a large measuring cup in order to stuff & truss (it captured any liquid not previously removed; making for easy & sanitary clean-up).

Roast at 450 degrees the first 15 minutes, then lower the over to 350.

Excellent for the bird & potatoes.

The rack allowed the bird to crisp on all sides.  Remember to deglaze your pan as it makes the most delicious gravy; while simultaneously cleaning your roasting pan.

Julia is dear to my heart as I completely appreciate how much of her passion translated into the finished dish; yet as with many European cooks & chefs (cookbooks & recipes); she emphasized the importance of seasoning to one's palate. Therefore, in many cases, it's left to the home-cook to add herbs of choice & the amount preferred.  I say, cook with all of your senses. Does it look the way you want?  Does it smell delicious (or is something missing?)? When appropriate, taste what you are cooking - is it lacking flavor or seasoning? When you mix, braise, saute', roast, baste, or knead, does it feel as it should? And yes, you can listen to your food. At different times in the cycle of cooking or baking, distinct differences in sound can be heard. Simply stated - be present. If there's no love in the kitchen, there will be no love on the plate.

Fingerling Potatoes with Bacon, Sage & Lemon 

Cut the bacon & cook on low in a skillet. Remove bacon, add a tablespoon of D'Artagnan; saute' a few sage leaves; add potatoes & season with kosher salt & pepper, a pinch of lemon rind, rosemary & thyme. Cut bacon into small pieces & add to the skillet with potatoes & saute' just enough to coat everything.Toss mixture in glass pyrex dish & roast in the same oven as the bird until crispy. The herb butter used for the chicken can be added to the potatoes as well.

DESSERT:
 Lemon Poppy Seed Pound Cake

Bake at 350 degrees

If you're lacking inspiration in your kitchen, I highly recommend Julia & Jacques Cooking at Home (Child & Peppin, 1999), Dean & Deluca (always), and perhaps an episode of Iron Chef on Netflix so that you too may be summoned to challenge your versatility & frugality by utilizing what's already in your pantry, garden, & refrigerator. Reflecting on the "secret ingredients" for this dinner, perhaps it wasn't the Chairman I was hearing after all; rather my son, Giuliano. He loves lemon & bacon...hmmm. Well, whatever you make for dinner tonight - make it with love & joy. 

Ciao,Maryanne The Gluten-Free Italian

100% Gluten-Free...100% Made with Love