Sunday Supper

Here we are in a new year. Some people feel let down after all the excitement and indulgence of the last month or so and some people feel excited and recharged to make a new start of things, whether it is with diet, exercise or career goals.

Regardless of which way you lean, having a hearty Sunday supper is a great tradition to refuel, relax and enjoy as one week winds down and a new one gears up. The beauty of a Sunday supper is that it doesn't have to be anything you don't want it to be, other than a tasty meal that gives you a chance to pause in your week and relax. It can be about entertaining if you miss all the gatherings of the holidays, not getting out of your pj's if you need time to regroup and reevaluate or making an old family recipe that needs a bit more time than you can spare during the week.

One of my favorite things to make for a Sunday supper is roast chicken. It's easy, inexpensive and very comforting. Although there are many ways to roast a chicken, my favorite way is to roast pieces rather than a whole bird. Although you lose the ritual of carving the bird, I find cooking pieces produces a very crispy* skin and evenly cooked meat in less time.

Start by seasoning the pieces (I cut the breasts in half crosswise) very very generously with salt and pepper. Don't just sprinkle the top, really cover it well. I promise it will not be too salty. Dig out your biggest oven-proof skillet and get it nice and hot over medium-high heat and then add just a touch of olive oil since the chicken skin will render plenty more fat as it browns.

Add about half your pieces, skin side down, and let them cook undisturbed for about 5 minutes. Sometimes I have to leave the room for a minute to resist the urge to poke, prod or peak. I recommend this if you are fidgety like me. When the skin is beautifully golden brown and easily releases from the pan you can turn and brown the second side. This side doesn't take quite as long and will not get as crispy without the skin, except for the legs which is skin on all sides. Take an extra minute or two with the legs to get as many sides brown as possible. Transfer the chicken to a plate and repeat with the rest of the pieces, turning the heat down under your pan if you feel like it is going to burn rather than brown.

At this point it is important to look at the amount of fat in your pan. You really only need a few tablespoons for the leeks or onions and as delicious as all those drippings are, you don't want the end result to be greasy. Spoon off any excess so you have a few tablespoons left behind. Now add either one bunch of trimmed, washed and sliced leeks (white and light green only) or two large sliced onions. It will seem like more than you want, but it will cook down by more than half. Toss them well in the pan and add a pinch more salt and pepper and a sprinkling of your favorite herb (thyme, rosemary or sage all work great). Fresh is best but dried works well too. Sometimes I'll sneak in a touch of ground chipotle chili powder here for a bit of smoky heat, but that's just the culinary mutt in me barking.

When the leeks/onions are wilted, nestle the chicken pieces, skin side up, over top. It will be a little cozy but that's ok at this point. Put in a hot oven (425 will do) and let it all roast together. The leeks/onions will melt down and take on all the chickeny juices from the pieces sitting over top and will also keep the meat moist and the chicken will roast up very crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside.

I like to have some steamed rice or basic mashed potatoes to round out the plate but a piece of crusty bread would also be delicious. A homey meal like this can lift your spirits or steady your resolve. At the least, it will fill your tummy and put some leftovers in the fridge.

*Disclaimer: I may have used the word crisp a bit excessively to describe the chicken skin but I simply cannot take rubbery, flaccid, undercooked chicken skin. It utterly skeeves me out.