THE $22 CHICKEN

THE  $22. CHICKEN

Not long after I found corn for a dollar an ear and tomatoes for $4.29 a pound, I came across a small organic chicken for $22. at a local farmers' market. When I questioned the price, the farmer explained how the chicken had been fed the purest grain, had ranged freely about the farmyard where it could indulge in assorted grubs and insects and had led a happy, comfortable chickeny life.

I thought of an episode of "Portlandia," the crazy out-there TV series
with Fred Armisen (SNL) and Carrie Brownstein. They're asking a waitress if the chicken on the menu is "local." Every question is answered with more information about the chicken, including its original address. Armisen and Brownstein hop in the car to go check it out. Everything gets loopier, yet you hear echoes of someone with annoying food requirements ordering a Starbucks grande. 

We know food has got a lot more expensive lately and that seems to cut across the board: fruit, vegetables, meat, groceries, everything. Eating away from home has become a rare treat and if you go out, it had better be good. Understanding that a cheeseburger can cost close to $10. maybe the $22. chicken isn't such a bad deal. Think about it like this:

1. Roast the chicken. Deglaze the pan and make gravy. Carve and serve to 4 adults, 2 children.  This uses maybe 2/3 of the bird. 

2. Take the leftover meat off the bones and save it. Throw the bones in
a pot with leftover gravy and cover with water and chicken broth from a can. Simmer for about an hour then remove the bones and throw them away. Refrigerate the broth when it cools. 

3. Make chicken salad or chicken a la king with leftover meat. For salad: 
add celery, apple, walnuts, mayo, lemon juice. This will serve at least four
adults. For a la king: saute sliced mushrooms, celery, shallot and make a cream sauce in the pan before adding the chicken and maybe a little red pemiento. Serve it over toast or rice to at least four adults. 

4. To make soup, remove the congealed fat layer from the chilled broth. Saute onion and celery, mushroom and carrot in canola oil or butter in a large pot. Add the broth and some fresh thyme or a little sage, pepper flakes and salt.  Simmer with the top off until vegetables are tender. You can add tomato.  Add leftover rice or pasta if you have it. Otherwise, serve to four adults with fresh baguette or croutons made with stale bread.

That's it. That's the end of the $22. chicken but look! It has fed a dozen people and all it took was willingness to actually prep and cook plus a commitment to not throwing away perfectly good food. 

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