… another tough week in the big city… i really shouldn’t complain but I think I’m getting old… well, I am getting old, being officially 40 now I suppose I can well and truly say I’m getting old… although we’re all getting old anyway aren’t we so I suppose the trick is to make sure I stop hanging around with people who are quite literally young enough to be my kids…?
… when did that happen…?
… seriously… some of the the kids in our office are in their early twenties yet when I look at them and spend time chatting to them I don’t feel any older than any of them… I mean we all love the same music… we use ipods and ipads… we covet the same clothes none of us can afford… we go out for drinks after work… yet they are quite literally young enough to be my children… it is wrong!
… a few weeks ago I also made the most terrible gaff with Jack our ultra-cool office runner… he was listening to some dreadful, very loud ‘urban’ style music and as I walked past I asked him what he was listening to…
‘its dub-step’ he informed me…
… ‘oh i love them’ i said…
… it turns out dub-step is a genre of music… not a pop group…
… I took the shame
So its with great pleasure that I spend the end of the week with my dearest best friend Jenny, who whilst she looks not a day over 30, she is in fact older than me… (go I hope she doesn’t read this post… I’m not sure even she will forgive me for that!)
I kind of invited myself over to her house for dinner… it was her birthday this week, so I thought I’d come over and cook for her, get drunk and spend the night in their spare room… we always have great fun cooking together and eating together… we do a lot of eating together…
fast, cheap and cheerful is always the way too, so it was out with the chicken thighs and a special roast potato and lemon dish which is sure to set sparks off in your mouth!
Roast Chicken Thighs with Fennel served with Roasted Lemon Potatoes
this potato dish uses a lot of lemons… you can reduce this if you like but I love the way they set the dish alight with sunshine… and the potatoes seem to soak up all the amazing lemony flavour… it is really heavenly!
8 chicken thighs
1 carrot – chopped
10 cloves of garlic – skin on
1 bulb of fennel – large slices
1 onion – large quarters
fresh rosemary, bay and thyme
a glass of white wine
a bag of potatoes (about 8-10) cut into wedges, skin on
5 lemons – cut into wedges
– really simple… bung all the chicken stuff into a roasting dish, (we used a large casserole pan with lid) pour over the wine, season and roast for 1 and a half hours on 180
– take the lid off and roast for a further 15 minutes until the skin gets some colour
– for the potatoes, par boil them first for about 6 minutes, then simply lay them all in a roasting tin with the lemons, drizzle with olive oil, season and roast till golden (about 1 hour on 200)
eat and of course, enjoy!
What an absolutely fabulous meal! I am so going to note this down and make it. Everything is there – the flavours, the good ingredients and the ease!
Thanks so much for sharing.
This meal looks like it was made in an outdoor oven on a patio on an island in the Mediterranean Sea. Love it!!
As you know I'm not a fan of thighs, chicken or mine! LOL!!! It does look delicious and I'll try it with all white meat! Happy 40th!
Yummo! Looks fab, sounds fab and I am sure it tastes even better. Might steal your lemon potato recipe for sunday lunch tomorrow!
I know just what you mean Dom about the age thing. The girls in my ante-natal group who I have remained friends with are mostly a lot younger than me. Usually I don't notice the difference, but sometimes it is glaringly obvious and it makes me feel so old.
@ Brittany thanks. It did pack a punch of flavours
@FBMKW yes. The Med in my oven
@OBCS go on. Try those chicken thighs they have the best flavour!!
@ Chele. I insist you do try the lemon potatoes. They are genius!
@ Jaq old old old. But still 18 in our heads right?
Oh Dom … You make me smile. Truly young at heart even if the body isn't quite as perky. But that's okay .. you sure can cook!
Love the idea of lemony peppery potatoes … great idea!
You are the Chief of the Chicken Thigh!
Great recipes. I should have come here before I sent Steve off with the shopping list for the week.
I'm 23 and I never heard of 'dub-step'. I need to get out more… 🙁
Roasted potatoes with lemon wedges looks and sounds utterly delicious. I must try that. And you know I love chicken thighs and fennel too.. wonderful. Have a nice weekend.
@ Susan body hasn't been perky for a while!!
@ Lou. Always buy chicken thighs… You never know!
@ Michael. Makes me feel better now!
Unusually introspective post Dom. I can't get enough of that dub-step me.
Do you eat the lemons?
Love the recipe (as usual) but laughed like a drain when I heard of your “Trying to pass for a young thing” anecdote. I have the same problem. Most of the time I can pass for a 30something and then every so often I blow it by revealing that I don't have an ipod or that I like Coldplay . . .
Oh hilarious, what on earth drove you to say “I love them” instead of “oh I have not heard of them”?!
My husband talks about his younger colleagues never knowing work without email. Can't wait to explain to my son that we only used to have 3 tv channels, he's going to laugh so much.