Some people go disco dancing at 10 p.m. on a Friday night, some watch the news, and some get ready for bed. Chelsea and I had dinner. It’s not that strange for us to be eating that late; after all, I am a chef and have slightly non-conventional work hours. I knew that Chel would be doing some cooking, but the menu was a surprise. The aromas of Provencal cooking were heavy as I walked through the door: olive oil, garlic, onion, herbs, lemon, evidence of something baked.
I spotted crispy-skinned chicken thighs, cooked halfway in a skillet, and knew I was in for a real treat. We don’t do a lot of searing and frying in the condo because of the splattering, so the fact that Chel seared these chicken thighs meant that she wasn’t messing around. Chel didn’t set out with a particular theme for the dinner, but her recipe selections and natural tendencies led her to create a very California/French menu where olives and olive oil were the common thread woven throughout the meal.
We started with some triple-creme cow’s milk cheese with olive oil crackers. The main course of crispy chicken thighs with fennel, olives, Meyer lemon, and plenty of extra virgin olive oil served upon herbed farro was adapted from Thomas Keller’s Ad Hoc cookbook. The final course was a moist olive oil cake with a tangy Meyer lemon glaze. A slightly oaky California chardonnay was devoid of any “oliveness,” but its buttery finish and aroma reminded me of California wine country, which is often peppered with olive trees.
Looks delicious. You two really do it up right.
Thanks bobbi!