Arroz Con Pollo with Chanterelles
I’m sitting on our faded white couch alone and in silence; hoping that these quiet moments will reenergize in the way an introvert needs them too after much activity. I also wish the coffee was stronger.
Gabe and I taught a food photography workshop this weekend at our friend, Aran’s studio. I’m physically tired but emotionally jazzed. It was one of those pinch me, I’m dreaming weekends where we got to watch over and over again concepts clicking and the photography of our fourteen students go from “it could use a little help” to “holy sh*t, you could frame that!”
What an incredibly satisfying and full feeling. I don’t have much to say but as I sat in the quiet I found myself just wanting to come here, to write and to share more. Maybe it’s out of thanks because it’s this space that taught me how to shoot, that taught me how to teach and that gave me the voice and the platform to do all of that. It was this place that gave me the confidence, the practice and the direction. Really, it was all of you coming to this place, cheering me on, pushing me forward and giving me the space to share, to grow and to learn. I’m feeling so thankful this morning and apparently really sappy.
There hasn’t been a lot of time for cooking these days. I hate that when that happens. It’s become another item to mark off on the to-do list rather than the joy and creative boost it so often is for me. More often than not lately our weeknight dinners have been random bits and pieces that I manage to pull out from the fridge or a last minute decision to go out for tacos or a quick walk up the street to Delancey. Somehow in the midst of the busyness and my stale creativity I did manage to make a one-pot dinner of Arroz con Pollo with a hefty bit of Chanterelle mushrooms because their season is so fleeting and I’m weak for their yellow caps and flavor that somehow tastes of a hike through the woods.
I adapted the recipe from José Andres after I saw his story in Food & Wine. I added a splash of dry sherry, used chicken thighs rather than a whole cut up chicken, braised the dish in stock (whereas he uses water) and topped the final dish with loads of scallions, cilantro, Cotija and avocado – probably not authentic at all but I love the freshness it added. Had I planned a bit more I would have salted the chicken the day before but I’m terrible at planning ahead especially when life is moving faster than I can keep up with.
The recipe can be found here (while you’re there check out my caramel apples, I’m pretty happy with how they turned out).
Thanks, as always for being in this space. I wish I could sit you all down and look you in the eyes to tell you what it means to me and how it has completely changed my life, but then I really wouldn’t time to cook dinner. Or maybe I can have that moment with a number of you when I’m out and about on book tour next year! Won’t that be fun?!
