Recipes for when you just need to feel something and nothing makes you weep quite like a BBQ potato chip.
Crispy baked chicken, miso crusted fish, and crispy, herby baked spaghetti squash.
Hello, chefs.
In fact, hello to 800 of you! Holy smokes. If you’re new here, welcome, make yourself at home. You can also find me over on Instagram so you have context when I over-share life details in this newsletter that’s supposed to be about recipes 🙃
I’m writing this while I listen to the sweet, sweet sounds of my brand new bathroom tile being chiseled off the wall piece by piece. The long story is that I ordered a vanity six months in advance, knowing it would sit in my living room for months, so the plumber could set the faucets in the wall exactly where they should be. They still managed to mis-measure, so when my vanity was finally set in the bathroom the faucets were laughably off-center. The short story is that everyone’s just doing their best and the big mistakes are the ones that’ll make this story worth telling in two years when we’re living blissfully in this new space.
I imagine many big life moments feel like this: as we get closer to the end of this renovation, the milestones we’re hitting are eclipsed almost immediately by my eagerness to get the to the next one. Floors are installed? Nice, but when are we getting quarter round? And when the quarter round is finally installed, I’ll find myself anxious that it’s not painted yet. It’s the most laughable example of NOT *~living in the moment~*.
I have this Yeah But What’s Next?! attitude with most things in my life—my career, finances, health milestones, and so on. One of the only things I do that ever really feels done is cooking. You make a plan, buy the ingredients, cook the meal, and at the end of it all, it’s hard not to be present as you enjoy the fruits of your labor. There’s a beginning and an end to it. I never finish eating a delicious meal and think…but what do I have to cook next? It’s an antidote.
So, this week, I’m mourning my bathroom-that-never-was. I need to feel something. These recipes are incredibly simple but will wake up an emotional range that you forgot you had. That’s a big promise, but at the very least, they’ll be tasty.
-Faith
Crispy baked chicken
This one is from Ali with NYTCooking. It is a BBQ chip that has reached its final form as a chicken leg. I made this using bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts and it was delicious (but can we agree that boneless, skin-on chicken breasts are the king of all chicken cuts?!) because there would be leftovers and my only personality flaw is that I can’t stomach leftover chicken thighs. I served it with a big dinner salad. 10/10.
Mix the seasoning: 4 tsp dark brown sugar (light is fine), 2 tsp smoked paprika (I used regular), generous salt and pep and as much cayenne pepper as you like.
Rub your chicken and let it sit: You can use any cut of chicken you want here, but it must have skin on it! The seasoning will cover up to 3 pounds of chicken—4 leg quarters, 4 skin-on breasts, or a combo of legs and thighs. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, rub your chicken all over with the spice mixture, and place it skin-side up. Let it sit for an hour or two at room temp.
Bake that baby: Bake at 325 for about an hour and 15, or until the center is at temp.
Miso crusted fish
This is one that has become a weekly staple and is very easy to assign to a child or significant other who isn’t confident in the kitchen. Also great for guests because you can prep everything in advance: we had friends over last night and served this with garlic ginger rice and stir fried vegetables with soy glaze.
Prep your fish cuts: I like cod best for this because it’s flakey and generally cheap. Thaw your fish cuts (topping recipe will cover 4 of them) and pat them dry. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with black pepper (for once, NO SALT, seriously, do not salt these).
Make your topping: In a medium bowl, combine 1/4 cup white miso paste, 2 tbsp softened butter, 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs, and minced garlic and ginger if you have it (couple tsp of each will do the trick, but you really don’t need it here) with a fork.
Bake it: 375 for 14 minutes. Top with some sliced green onions for color.
Crispy, herby baked spaghetti squash
This is another Ali Slagle concoction! It’s begging to be served with something saucy (I made it with steamed fish which was…fine, but it didn’t live up to its full potential, you know?), like chicken with pan sauce or simmered meatballs.
Pre-bake your squash: Slice and de-seed your spaghetti squash, brush with olive oil, salt, and pepper, and place skin side up on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake at 450 for 40 minutes.
Make your topping: Combine 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs, some minced garlic, your favorite dried herbs (thyme! oregano! parsley! Let those dried herbs LOOSE), salt and pepper, a drizzle of olive oil, and 1/2 cup of parm (I didn’t have any so I did a few sprinkles of nutritional yeast).
Finish the squash: After 40 minutes, flip it skin side down , scrape the inside into strands, and sprinkle each half with the toping. Bake for another 20 minutes.
I’m loving these!!