Bada Bing

Weekend lunches are usually a treat, because I get to apply myself to them a little more than during the week. Trying as always to be efficient with leftovers, I got all bistro-y for lunch yesterday. Since we had fish and potatoes, I puréed them with a little milk, and egg, and some garlic and baked it all into a nice panko-crusted brandade. While it was in the oven I trudged out and picked a bunch of frisée and curly endive for a salad.

I was playing with ideas for some chicken thighs in the fridge, and settled upon chicken parmigiana- somewhat inexplicably, because I’m not sure I’ve ever made it before. Surprisingly, it’s not very complicated, and both adults and kids love it, which is good, because we had one of each joining us for dinner. I browned the thighs to render some fat, then put them in a baking dish with a sauce I simmered for about an hour or so made from our canned sauce, tomato paste, wine, garlic, onion, olives, capers, and a dribble of agave to balance the wine. On top I crumbled feta and fresh mozzarella, and grated some parmigiano. We ate it on brown rice, and on the side had some winterbor kale I wilted with garlic and a little clementine juice. None remained.

We also put away a 2003 Jaboulet Vacqueyras and a Pleiades XVI. We’re down to the last case, and I will try to be more parsimonious with these 12- though it’s going to be difficult.