I’m finding that there is certain satisfaction, a savings of time, and a savings of money when it comes to taking one protein and being able to stretch 3 meals from it. This has been a new and wonderful challenge for me, especially in a household that doesn’t enjoy leftovers. How do I make and remake this single, simple protein into multiple meals? It begins with choosing a protein that adapts well to different flavor profiles and continues with making enough of it to last a day or two and combining that with a little creativity.
One Protein – Three meals … today’s protein is chicken, roast chicken to be exact… roast chicken via Ruhlman's Roast Chicken to be really exact (the post is hilarious and well worth the read). Ruhlman makes fun of how very, very easy the whole process is for making roast chicken which is a succulent meal all on it’s own, but also makes for delightful encore performances for a couple of meals following.
ROAST CHICKEN
INGREDIENTS
2 plump chickens
1 or 2 lemons
kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
DIRECTIONS
1. Rinse and pat dry 2 plump chickens
2. Salt and pepper liberally
(2.1 Don’t even worry about trussing the birds, this is a nice step if you plan to serve the birds at the table, but to pull the meat and serve it among other thing… save the time to pour a glass of wine)
3. Place side by side in a heavy roasting pan
4. Stuff a lemon into the cavity of each bird (or an onion or any other aromatic, even something that has begun to wilt in the back of the fridge)
5. Place into a preheated, 425 degree oven for 1 hour
6. Remove and let the birds rest.
7. Carve or otherwise remove meat.
THEN… use the bones to make stock!! Don’t miss this quick and easy opportunity to eek out the nutrition and bonus flavor from these roasted bones. There is little more delightful and more satisfying that making your own stock.
Before:
After:
From these two birds came three meals:
1. Roast chicken with veg
2. Buffalo chicken salad with blue cheese and bacon
3. BBQ chicken sandwiches on toasted rolls
Three great meals… from one chicken roasting event!
~Enjoy!
