Today my dad is celebrating his retirement with a fete at this house, and true to my dad’s style he is doing all the work himself. Sacre bleu! The guest list hovers around 30, and a lesser man would call in the caterers. But not my dad. He has been busy menu planning, grocery shopping, wine-deciding and more, all in order to serve his friends an amazing spread reflective of the 50 years of work he has already contributed to the American economy. My dad pretty much rocks.
Two foodies celebrating Christmas at The Herbfarm
When I called him this morning to make sure he didn’t need me to pick up any last minute items, he had already been up with the birds, gotten my mom bathed and dressed (oh yes, in addition to working his job every day my dad takes superlative care of my mom, who has Huntington’s Disease), had most of the dishes prepped and ready and was only slightly out of breath from the effort. The man truly amazes me.
Dad's surprise 60th birthday at Canlis
So it is with great pleasure that all of us who love my dad will gather today to celebrate his years in the workforce, and we also know the value of the unpaid “work” he does every single day. He has been my mother’s sole caregiver for over a decade and has never once complained about the hard work involved (and that kind of daily care is hard work, believe me). He is always in good spirits, always a merry jokester quick with the quips, and always welcoming and generous with his friends and with strangers alike. He makes friends easily and keeps them for life. He forgives easily and always looks on the bright side. There will be many folks today wishing him a nice, relaxing retirement filled with golf, sunshine, and plenty of Manhattans.
I am contributing this dish to the party, which is easy to make, tastes even better the second day, is filling and delicious. If you’re like me and need more veg in your meal, feel free to add in whatever vegetables strike your fancy (would be great with zucchini, summer squash even young carrots would be great) .
Chicken Curry with Squash and Potatoes
Adapted from Food & Wine
2 tablespoons ground coriander
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon pure chile powder
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
3 tablespoons water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 onions, halved and thinly sliced
8 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
One 1-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
12 curry leaves
2 teaspoons garam masala
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
One 3 1/2-pound chicken, cut into 8 pieces, wing tips removed
Kosher salt
1 large baking potato, peeled and cut into 1-inch dice
3/4 pound butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch dice
One 14-ounce can unsweetened coconut milk
1 cup chicken stock or low-sodium broth
Steamed rice, for serving
(My notes: I used sweet potatoes in place of the squash, and I added one cup sliced crimini mushrooms and an entire sliced red bell pepper just because I like lots of veg in my meal. I also used all chicken thighs in place of the whole chicken. I couldn’t find curry leaves so used fresh cilantro, mint and basil as a garnish for some herbal kick.)
In a small skillet, toast the coriander, chile powder and turmeric over moderate heat until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the water to form a paste.
In a very large, deep skillet, heat the vegetable oil. Add the onions, garlic, ginger and curry leaves and cook over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Add in the spice paste, garam masala and black pepper and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until the oil separates from the paste, about 2 minutes.
Lightly season the chicken pieces with salt. Add the chicken, diced potato and squash to the skillet and stir to coat with the seasonings. Stir in the coconut milk and chicken stock and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook over moderately low heat until the chicken is cooked through and the potato and squash are tender, about 25 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken pieces to a bowl. Season the curry sauce with salt, pour it over the chicken and serve.
