three whole bone-in chicken breasts
salt and pepper
half stick of butter
1 large bag or bunch of baby spinach, or mixed leaf salad
8 very small tomatoes (preferably on the vine)
1 avocado, sliced prettily
dressing of your choice
Place 1/4 stick butter on each chicken breast and salt and pepper it. Roast at 425 degrees for an hour, then five minutes under the broiler or until nice and crispy (if you really want it a diet salad, remove the skin after roasting; removing it before roasting will make it dry out). While the chicken cools, arrange the greens on a large platter, prepare your avocado, quarter the tomatoes and mix your dressing. Remember this basic rule, taught to me by the mother of the French family I lived with when I was sixteen, never forgotten. Three parts oil to one part vinegar (or other acidic liquid like fruit juice. Then you can add whatever other things occur to you with abandon (mustard, Tabasco, mayo, pesto, you name it). Slice the chicken breasts and arrange them on the greens, then scatter the tomatoes and avocado all over and around. Drizzle a minimum of dressing on just before serving.
After dinner, if you’re feeling at all energetic, put the breast bones in a stockpot and cover with water, and quite a bit of salt. If any salad is left, you can throw that in too. Boil pretty high for at least an hour, strain through a colander (throw the bits away taking care not to attract skunks!) and refrigerate. In the morning you can take the fat off the top of the pot and you’ve got chicken broth, good on its own or perfect as the basis of any good chilled summer soup!
Mmm. We’re going out for dinner tonight, but right now I’m pretty sure it won’t get better than that! Enjoy whatever is on your plate tonight…
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