table talk / By Jada Calypso Brotman

On the Cheap

Sterilize 6 glass jars by boiling for a few minutes. Let cool a bit. Place brined veggies in jars, and pour over enough oil to cover. I use half olive oil and half vegetable oil. You can use all vegetable oil if you are REALLY cheap, or all olive oil for a tastier oil. I find half and half works just fine. Screw the lids on the jars, and Bob’s your uncle! I have never had this stuff not get eaten in a few weeks so honestly I am not sure it keeps more than a month. The oil keeps indefinitely, I find.

There is usually some sort of sale on chicken at any supermarket. Be it legs, wings or thighs, any bone-in chicken parts can be used to make delicious one-pan meals for literally two or three dollars. I have noticed men like to eat meat so I make this when I have a deserving date. That I am still single should not be taken as a reflection on the tastiness of this dish.

Manly Chicken and Chickpeas

1 package chicken parts, bone-in (4-6 pieces)
1 can chickpeas
1/2 yellow or white onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, mashed
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon sugar or 1/4 cup golden raisins
1 and 1/2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
1 1/2 cups water, or 1 cup water and 1/2 cup white wine

Heat a large seasoned cast iron skillet over a medium flame until hot, hot, hot (when the end of the handle is very warm to the touch). Place chicken parts skin side down. Let sizzle without moving them for 3 minutes, then peel one up with a metal spatula to see if the skin is crisping and browning. If it’s at the desired brown crispiness, remove; if not give ‘em another minute or so.

Remove chicken from pan and let rest on a plate. Pour off some of the fat from the pan, leaving enough so there is a nice thick layer on the bottom, maybe a quarter inch deep or a little less.

Reduce heat slightly. Add onion, and stir until translucent. Add all other ingredients except chicken, and stir for two minutes. Add liquid. Bring to a low simmer. Place chicken part crispy skin side up on top of mixture and cover. Let simmer for 25 minutes; check at 15 to make sure there is still liquid covering the bottom of the pan. Give the pan a good shake every 5 minutes to re-adjust the chickpeas.

Serve.

Good with salad, unsurprisingly. Call your mom and tell her how admirably frugal you are.

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