By Liam's last day of kindergarten was Wednesday. He came home with a folder of a year's worth of art and a certificate. His teacher Ms. Callahan hugged me at pickup and said he is the kindest kid in the class. I said thank you. I did not tell her that his father died last year. She somehow already knew. Everyone knows.
Nora is out of pre-K too now. She is 4, turning 5 next February. She will do pre-K one more year (with kids her age) in September — she is not ready for kindergarten yet, and neither am I. I signed the paperwork Friday.
We have childcare for the summer — a babysitter named Erin, BC nursing student, 20, friend of a friend from Mass Gen. She starts Monday. Comes to the house four days a week, 8 to 5, while I work. Fridays I work a half day and Ma takes the kids till I finish.
Tuesday group. The new ALS widower told the story of how he met his wife. He smiled when he told it. Bernadette said that is a gift, that is a muscle you strengthen, remembering them glad. I wrote it down.
Clinic — a new patient, 31-year-old pregnant, no prior prenatal care, 28 weeks. I did intake, got her to OB at BMC within 48 hours, she will be fine. These are the wins.
Saturday pancakes. Burned the first one. Liam and Nora are on summer time — slower mornings, more pajamas at the table. Nora asked if we can go to the beach next weekend. I said yes.
Sunday dinner at Southie. Ma made chicken cacciatore because she found a box of tomatoes on sale. Liam ate the chicken and refused the peppers. Nora ate the peppers and refused the chicken. They negotiated a trade. They are going to be fine.
Food of the week: Ma's chicken cacciatore. Bone-in thighs, onions, peppers, crushed tomatoes, oregano, an hour and a half on low.
Ma’s chicken cacciatore was the meal that cracked me open a little this week — watching Liam and Nora negotiate their peppers and their chicken across the table like tiny diplomats, I thought: they really are going to be fine. This Polish poultry is the same spirit in a different pot — bone-in chicken, low heat, plenty of time — the kind of recipe that doesn’t demand much of you on a Sunday when you don’t have much left to give, but gives you everything back by the time it’s done.
Polish Poultry
Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 1 hr 30 min | Total Time: 1 hr 45 min | Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 3 lbs bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs and drumsticks
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large onion, sliced into half-moons
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon caraway seeds
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- Brown the chicken. Heat olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Brown on all sides, about 4–5 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
- Soften the onion. Reduce heat to medium. Add sliced onion to the same pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and golden, about 8 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more.
- Build the braise. Stir in paprika, caraway seeds, and marjoram, coating the onion. Pour in chicken broth and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
- Slow cook. Return chicken pieces to the pot, nestling them into the liquid. Bring to a gentle simmer, then cover, reduce heat to low, and cook for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes, until chicken is very tender and nearly falling off the bone.
- Finish the sauce. Remove chicken from the pot. Stir sour cream and Dijon mustard together in a small bowl, then whisk into the braising liquid over low heat. Do not boil after adding sour cream. Taste and adjust salt and pepper.
- Serve. Return chicken to the pot to warm through, about 2–3 minutes. Garnish with fresh parsley. Serve over egg noodles, mashed potatoes, or crusty bread to catch the sauce.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 420 | Protein: 38g | Fat: 26g | Carbs: 7g | Fiber: 1g | Sodium: 540mg