Day 88: warp-speed down memory lane
The concept of today’s pick takes me back to very fond childhood memories of my time living in Norway. We moved there was bout nine years old and then back to the UK when I was about twelve. Three years may not seem like a lot, but they were three very wonderful years, occurring at a very influential and important time in a person's life. I loved every second of my time there and was very sad to leave. I made wonderful friends, saw lots, learnt to ski and skate, fell in love with winter, and so much more. But I hold firm the good memories and twenty-two years on treasure dearly anything that evokes them.
The picture alone of Nigella’s Chicken with Garlic Cream Sauce held enough power to send me back in time to my childhood in Norway. One of my favourite dinners consisted of well-seasoned chicken pieces (using kylling krydder, or chicken spice/rub) roasted and served with a creamy chanterelle sauce. I know this is different to a garlic cream sauce (and Nigella’s version doesn’t include a spice rub) but I’m going by the picture alone here remember and the finished products do look very similar. And when I say spice rub, it was more of a well-seasoned celery salt if memory serves me right, rather than a spice with heat. True evocation was achieved as I read the accompanying text where Nigella suggests serving with plain rice: this is exactly how my Mum used to serve our version!
My recollections from UK life associate this meal as a creamy sauce poured over a chicken breast and served with potatoes, unlike the roast chicken pieces and rice I’m babbling on about here, which may better communicate the particular connection I find with this recipe - even though they are notably different. Also, the chanterelle sauce I refer to actually came from a sachet (adding cream and milk to make). It’s addictively good though and I still pick up a few packets on the odd occasion I’m lucky enough to visit Norway (or if my Mum goes for work!). Needless to say, the concept of this roast chicken and garlic cream sauce served with rice opened a whole avenue of memories. Memories I shan’t bore with you now!
As my love of sauce equates to a sunflower’s thirst for sunshine, my piece of roast chicken often floated about in a sea of sauce and rice. And I fully intended to replicate said imagery today!
Nigella’s Chicken with Garlic Cream Sauce
Thankfully, the butcher had ONE whole chicken left and very kindly spatchcocked it for me. If they didn’t have any left I would have opted for chicken portions: I may be up for learning new skills in the kitchen, but cracking and crunching bones actually makes me quite faint. I can handle blood and guts in horror movies - and believe I have proven the strength of my stomach in preparing semi-off whole squid - but if someone trips and breaks a bone, that’s me done!
With that part done for me, there really was nothing else to it. I forgot to weigh my chicken and as it took closer to 90 minutes to cook, I’m thinking it was a little more than 1.5kg (which is what the recipe instructions are optimised for). But that was no issue. I know overcooked chicken can be dry but I do like my chicken a few degrees past done: not really in any fear of food poisoning, I just prefer the texture when it’s a little drier (but still juicy, of course).
Flavour musings
Exemplary of the evocative power of Cook Eat Repeat, #Nigella’s Chicken with Garlic Cream Sauce delivered such joy to our table last night; catalysing a warp-speed trip down memory lane to my childhood in Norway.
There is a LOT of chicken left. I think tonight I’ll be enjoying it splodged with anchovy elixir and a green salad side, whilst the hubby will probably enjoy it with the remainder of the garlic cream sauce (and salad). The rest: I will probably freeze for a soup or pasta at a later date, but not before having a slice or two on some heavily buttered crusty white bread and a sprinkling of sea salt flakes for lunch.
