Why simple is hard

and a recipe for pan-roasted chicken with fresh herbs and red wine vinegar

I have only made this letter longer because I have not had the time to make it shorter.

Blaise Pascal, 15th century French philosopher

Today I finished the last session in a recipe-writing workshop run by Susan Spungen. Focused on the art and science of writing a recipe well, this was less about cooking results and more about writing technique.

It got me thinking about turning the complex into the simple, and about why the more we understand something, the harder it is for us to explain it in simple terms. Our deeper understanding can make us forget that what we take for granted or instinctively know may also be hard to convey.

Mastering the art of simplicity

It’s the writer’s conundrum. Economy of language - using fewer words to tell a story, explain a concept, describe a process - is the ideal but getting to that mastery takes time, thought, contemplation - and practice.

As in writing, so in life. Many of us spend years in a role or industry that becomes second nature; we learn the fundamentals, master the mechanics, create the short cuts and pathways to results and success. In the process, we stop seeing the what or questioning the why. Our seeming mastery has actually resulted in a bit of atrophy.

It’s like driving past the same park every day. In the beginning we notice the towering trees, the swing sets, the park benches, a fountain, the birds drinking from that fountain, the old man feeding the birds. Over time, though, the park becomes a green space, a blur that has lost its details. When we stop observing, something fundamental stops too.

The Learner’s Mindset

Call it a learner’s mindset. It’s the childlike ability to ask seeking questions and to take in new inputs with curiosity and lack of judgement. In her book Change Your Questions, Change Your Life, Marilee Adams outlines how asking different questions can open us to new paths of learning, connection and meaning.

Rishad Tobaccowala is someone else who’s been thinking about this. In his series The Future Does Not Fit in the Containers of the Past, he has some pretty profound ideas about how we’ll need to adapt for a future state that puts the soul back into business. While these seem like simple, commonsense ideas, they are the result of a lifetime of thinking and asking questions. You can read an especially compelling post here.

Recipes as simple as 1, 2, 3

So what does this have to do with learning to write a recipe?

Over three weeks and three classes, I took dishes that I usually cook without a recipe and broke them down in a new way. I learned to think about the order in which I do things. Not to assume knowledge or understanding, but not to over-explain. To eliminate unnecessary words. Simple ideas that take thoughtful consideration to execute well.

Elizabeth David, circa 1960

Even more then long hours in the kitchen, fine meals require ingenious organization and experience which is a pleasure to acquire

Elizabeth David, British cookery writer

With mastery comes knowledge. And, as Elizabeth David pointed out, it also brings pleasure. With our learner’s mind, we can both become skillful and also never forget the magic of a first moment of comprehension, of asking new questions and seeing new solutions. It makes us lifelong learners of the best possible kind.

I can say this: I will never again take for granted the craft, skill and knowledge that is inherent in a beautifully written, easy-to-follow recipe. I’ll keep attempting it here and elsewhere. With thanks to Susan for her generous wisdom, and to you for coming along with me on the journey.

Great food writing makes for delicious dishes in Susan’s latest cookbook

Pan-Roasted Chicken with Fresh Herbs and Red Wine Vinegar

serves 4

Like a favourite pair of just-right jeans, roast chicken is the kind of dish I go back to over and over again. Who doesn’t love that crispy and crackly skin, the pan juices to sop up with crusty bread, the leftover white meat for chicken salad?

But when I’m tired, the day’s been long and it’s suddenly 6 pm before I know it, that’s when I turn to this much quicker pan-roasted chicken recipe. Made bright with a timeless combination of parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme, finished with vinegar instead of wine to give it vibrancy, and ready in 45 minutes, this hands-off dinner will give you time to prep a simple green salad for the perfect side. 

Ingredients

2½ to 3 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs and drumsticks (see note)

Kosher salt

2 large sprigs each of parsley, sage and rosemary

6 thyme sprigs

1 fresh or 2 dried bay leaves

2 garlic cloves, peeled and cut in half

1 dried chili, about 1 inch in length, or a generous pinch of chili flakes

¼ cup/60 ml olive oil, plus 2 tablespoons

1⁄3  cup/75 ml red wine vinegar

½ cup/100 ml chicken stock, plus more as needed

Freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon/15 grams unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

Note

If you have time, season the chicken with salt in advance, either early in the morning or even an hour or two before dinner. This pre-seasoning heightens the flavour and will help retain moistness when cooking. A good rule of thumb is about ¾ of a teaspoon per pound. Pat the chicken dry, season with salt, place on a rack over a rimmed baking sheet, and store in the refrigerator until you’re ready to cook.

Method

1. If you have not pre-seasoned the chicken, pat the pieces dry and sprinkle generously with salt on all sides. Set aside.

2. Place the herbs, bay leaf, garlic and chili pepper or flakes in a small food processor and chop until blended, but not pureed. In a deep sauté pan big enough for the chicken pieces, heat the olive oil over medium heat and then add the herb mixture. Sauté until the mixture is fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, scoop out the herb mixture, leaving behind as much olive oil as possible. Set the mixture aside in a small bowl.

3. Turn the heat to medium high, adding one or two tablespoons of oil if the pan is dry. Add the chicken pieces skin side down to the pan, and cook until the skin is beginning to brown and come away from the pan. This will take at least 5 minutes. Don’t be tempted to turn the chicken too quickly – that lovely skin will stick to your pan and not the chicken. Once the skin is crisping and pulling away from the pan, flip the chicken pieces to brown on the other side. The whole process should take 10 to 15 minutes; the goal is a golden brown colour on all sides.

4. Turn the pieces so that chicken is skin side up. Pour the vinegar around and between the chicken pieces and let it bubble for 2 minutes. Then, add back the reserved herb mixture and chicken stock and partially cover. Turn the heat to low and cook for about 30 minutes, adding more stock if the pan is getting dry.

5. While the chicken is cooking, heat the oven to a low broil setting if you have one, with the oven rack in the middle position. Alternatively, use the broil setting with the oven rack in the lowest position.

6. Continue cooking the chicken until the juices run clear when you insert a knife in the largest piece. If using a thermometer, the chicken is ready when the internal temperature reaches 165°F. 

7. Drizzle a small amount of olive oil on the cooked chicken and put the pan in the preheated oven. Cook uncovered for 3 to 5 minutes, checking frequently to make sure the skin is not browning too much. The goal here is to crisp up the skin again.

8. Place the cooked chicken in a serving dish and keep warm, reserving the cooking juices in the pan. If the juices are too thin, reduce them over high heat until syrupy; if the juices have evaporated, add a few teaspoons of stock to the pan, and cook over medium heat. Once the sauce is at a consistency you like, whisk in the butter until melted. Pour the sauce around the chicken.