This wasn't planned. But think about it for a minute: how often do you wind up doing something that isn't planned? I had many thoughts for what is, for me , an historic blog entry, but life has a funny way of twising plans around, doesn't it?
On Saturday, one of the best men I have ever met left us. Ken had fought the most valiant fight imaginable, after a diagnosis of inoperable, incurable cancer. And he fought it with grace, with class, and with a style that was uniquely him. He and his partner Craig never once let the world see what we knew was the case: they were scared. Who would not be? Sometimes I wonder: how would my mind function if I were told "you have six months to live," or a like bit of information? And it seems that there is a filter that simply will NOT let me think those thoughts. It's kind of funny how we have those protective "instincts" built into us. I won't ever know what was going through his head during that period of time. What I DO know is what is going through mine now: WE DID NOT SPEND ENOUGH TIME TOGETHER. Readers, friends, everyone who comes in contact with this blog, heed this, and heed it well: EMBRACE YOUR FRIENDS. TAKE THE TIME TO BE WITH THEM. MAKE THE TIME. Because you know, ultimately, you don't know when you won't have it anymore. Memories are sweet, and I will have many of my departed friend, but a memory does not replace one of the things I urge you to accept, and that is TO BE HERE NOW. We were not "here" often enough. We were "here" way too infrequently.
How do we deal with this concept, this thing, called "death?" We all deal with it differently, and I think that ultimately we reach back to what is inherent. First we freeze. I know that's what happened to me. I just pushed the situation away. Then we cry. And we cry for a long time, and deeply. Then we remember other people we've loved who aren't here anymore. The memories, to use Joan Baez's line "tumble, like sweets from a jar." Then we go to a different level: we have to "do" something.
It is interesting to me that I am not the only one who immediately goes to the kitchen when something like this happens. Think about it: how many wakes have you gone to, how many times have you lost someone, when the food starts pouring in? The tradition of what is called, not inappropriately, "funeral meats" is long, deeply rooted and frankly, wonderful. We care about our friends and realize they may be incapacitated. But they still need to eat. And they need to eat the familiar, they need to eat the comfortable. The collective mourners need to do so as well. So, when I heard, I went into the kitchen. We'll be eating this tonight, at a party to celebrate two things: one will be , hopefully, a change for the better in our country's heart. The other will be to celebrate our friend, our pal, our buddy and to know that he's there, smiling, and watching the whole thing.
I am naming this dish after my friend. And I will make it again. I think it suits him. Ken once said of my cooking "what I like about it is it says 'here it is. Like it or not, this is me. And you know, that's why we get along so well." Amen, dear friend, amen. If they have computers where you are, take a look, and of course, feel free to put your comments on. If anyone could, you could.
The flavors here combine well. It's a dish that is comfortable, but also somewhat askew of what you might expect. It looks a little complicated. It's not. Trust me. And here, I present Ken's Mexican style chicken. "PROVECHO AMIGO"
First, turn your oven up to the broiler setting. Let it heat for about ten minutes, and then lay out eight fresh poblano peppers on a baking sheet. Make sure they're dry. No oil, no nothing. Put them under the broiler for ten minutes, and then turn them and let them broil for another ten minutes. Carefully remove them from the oven, put them in a bowl and cover it, to let them steam. Lower the oven heat to 350
While that's happening, put about a quarter inch of oil in a big skillet, and then take 8 large, or 10 small, chicken legs. Separate the thighs from the drumstick. It's much easier to do than you think: just let your knife guide you. Pat them dry and salt them. When the oil is hot, brown them well. Usually, you need five minutes a side to get a nice brown coating, using medium heat. You will probably have to do this in batches. You don't want to crowd the pan that much.
When the chicken is done, put it aside and pour out just about all of the fat . Save, perhaps, three tablespoons worth. If you spill out too much, then use more oil.
Have handy about 6-8 sliced red peppers of different types. Try not to use just bell peppers, but if that's what you have, use them. Also, two medium sized (say 6 ounces each) onions, sliced into half moons. And ten - yes, ten, cloves of garlic, chopped. Add the onions, and saute them until they loose the clear color. Add the peppers and the garlic and a big tablespoon of salt (peppers can take a lot of salt). Stir everything together, and lower the heat, and cover the pan. This, too, will need about ten minutes to cook down.
The components are begining to come together here. Just a few more things to do. Get those poblanos, and they'll be cool enough to handle. Rub off the broiled skin. It's not hard, and if you're not rigorous in cleaning, who cares? Remove the seeds and then chop the poblanos. Have them ready, because now, you're gonna make cream sauce. In a pot, melt two tablespoons of butter, unsalted, and add two tablespoons of flour. Cook it for about three minutes and then add a pint of heavy cream, and the chopped peppers. Stir everything together, just until you see the mass thicken. Taste it, and you may want to add some salt. Maybe not.
ASSEMBLY! Get a big, 9x13 inch baking dish and lay down a layer of the peppers and onions. Nestle the chicken on top of them. If you have any more pepper onion mix left, put that on top of the chicken. Now, pour that cream sauce over everything. Put this big, heavy pan on a baking sheet, cover it with tin foil, and then bake it for forty minutes. This is really just to finish off the chicken and make sure it's done.
You can make this ahead of time, a tradition at wakes and remembrances of this type. If you feel so inclined, mix up a salad or a starch and try to think of what the subject of your remembrance would like. My friend LOVED cabbage, so we'll be having coleslaw. Sort of. He loved RED cabbage, so it's a red cabbage salad. Also rice with saffron. But for heaven's sake, use these as guidelines, not rules.
I refuse to say goodbye to friends who move off to another place. We'll see each other again sooner than we think. But again, I go back to what I said before. BE HERE NOW. BE HERE NOW WITH THE PEOPLE YOU LOVE.
If you have gotten nothing out of this year long exercise in writing, get that. PLEASE
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