Back to Basics

The long, hot summer is over and it’s “back to school” and, for me and cooking, “back to basics.” While the kids get back to reading, writing and arithmetic, the ABC’s of everyday simplicity in my meal plans are beckoning to me.


Of course, it helps that the weather is cooler and making roasts and lots of root vegetables (just coming in to the local markets) and running the oven for baked goods is tempting again. But I am really running out of ideas for interesting salads, cold soups, and other cool cooking. New-and-interesting is moving over and making room for tried-and-true basics. Sort of like the “little black dress”, the basics can be served adorned or unadorned. In the simplest version, they do not require recipes (most of us have these classics in our heads if we have been cooking for any time at all), use ingredients that we have on hand or can get easily on our weekly shopping trip and are a big hit with our families and their newly revived appetites.

That does not mean that I don’t use lots of the fresh foods from the farmer’s market that are so available right now. Here is a wonderful menu that I made for friends and family—everyone was delighted and it was fun to cook.

Roast Chicken
Mashed Potatoes
Gravy
Corn Pudding
Tomato and Cucumber Salad
Apple Pie

How much more basic can you get?

Roast Chicken (adapted from Bon Appetit)

1 4-5 pound roasting chicken
1 7-ounce container purchased pesto sauce or equal amount of homemade
3 Tbsp dry white wine
¾ cup plus 2 Tbsp. chicken broth
2 Tbsp. flour
3 Tbsp half and half

Pat chicken dry. Slide hand between chicken skin and meat over breast and legs to form pockets. Reserve 1 Tbsp. pesto for gravy; spread remaining pesto under skin and over breast and leg meat of chicken, in cavity of chicken and over outer skin. Tie legs together to hold shape. Tuck wings under body. Place chicken in large roasting pan. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Roast chicken 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 375 and roast until juices run clear when chicken is pierced in thickest part of thigh, basting occasionally with pan juices, about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Transfer chicken to platter. Pour pan juices into glass measuring cup; degrease. Add wine to roasting pan and bring to boil, scraping up any browned bits. Add wine mixture and any drippings from platter to pan juices. Add enough broth to measure 1 cup. Transfer to heavy small saucepan. Combine 2 Tbsp. broth and flour in bowl; stir until smooth. Add to saucepan. Bring to boil, whisking constantly. Boil until reduced to sauce consistency, stirring often about 5 minutes. Mix in cream and reserved 1 Tbsp. pesto. Season with salt and pepper. Garnish chicken with basil. Serve with gravy.

Fresh Corn Pudding (adapted from American Home Cooking by Jamison and Jamison)

2 large eggs
1 cup half and half
¾ tsp. salt or more to taste
Freshly ground white pepper to taste
Pinch of nutmeg, freshly ground
8 to 10 ears of fresh sweet corn, kernels and scrapings (4 ½ to 5 cups) removed from cob
¾ cup crushed pilot or oyster crackers (can use unsalted soda crackers)
3 Tbsp butter, melted
2 to 3 ounces sharp Cheddar cheese, grated (1/4 to 1/3 cup)
Paprika

Preheat the oven to 350. Grease a medium baking dish. Whisk the eggs and half and half together in a large bowl along with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Mix in corn kernels and scrapings, ½ cup of the crackers and 2 Tbsp. of the melted butter. Spoon the pudding into the prepared baking dish and scatter the cheese over it. In a small bowl, mix together the remaining ¼ cup of crackers and 1 Tbsp. butter and sprinkle them over the cheese. Dust with paprika for a bit of extra color. Bake the pudding for 45 to 50 minutes until puffed and golden brown. Edges should be a bit crusty, but the center should remain a little soft. Let sit for 10 minutes and serve.

Tomato and Cucumber Salad

3 large tomatoes (homegrown, of course)
1 large or 2 small cucumbers (ditto, above)
3 Tbsp. canola oil
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
¼ tsp. salt
Few grindings of black pepper
1 tsp. sugar

Cut tomatoes in wedges, about ¾ inch by ¾ inch. Peel cucumbers and slice about ¾ inch thick. Mix oil, vinegar, salt, pepper and sugar. Pour over tomato and cucumber mixture and allow to marinate for at least 1 hour in refrigerator. Serve in large Romaine lettuce leaves.