We know that Boston goes into an instant French Toast frenzy when a winter storm is forecast. While we may need to pick up our daily supply of bread and milk, our storm supplies often include a whole chicken.
As temperatures dipped and our heat pump and humidifier were running non-stop trying to keep us warm and comfortable, Penny took to the the kitchen and started cooking a plump chicken in chicken stock and aromatics.
As soon as the chicken was poached, she removed it from the pot, let it cool enough to handle, and stripped the meat. The bones, skin, and everything else went back into the pot to simmer for a couple of hours.
Not only did our home smell wonderful, but the simmering broth also added warmth and humidity helping our heating system keep us comfortable.
When the stock was rich and densely flavored, she froze some for future soups, made a pot of chicken soup and a curried chicken salad.
For the salad she used a chicken breast, an apple, a carrot, a stalk of celery, a scallion, some raisins and a big spoonful of curry powder. (You can add curry power a bit at a time, but it does take a healthy dose to add zip to that chicken and apple.
Toss it with a bit of oil and vinegar and salt and pepper to taste. That gave us healthy bowls of food with a hot and cold option throughout the storm.
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Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2014 Penny & Ed Cherubino