Interstices

=It’s a good word, interstices, don’t you think? “A space, especially a small or narrow one, between things or parts.” And therein lies much of my philosophy of cooking. What? You don’t have time to cook? Yes you do. Just think about the interstices.

I thought we might have chicken for dinner tonight; I’d defrosted some thighs. Yes, I could just bung them in the oven when suppertime comes into view — but a ten minutes’ effort, post-breakfast, will make that suppertime so very much more rewarding.

I made a quick (really quick!) marinade for my thighs (ooh, matron….)

1 tbsp fines herbes
1 tsp salt
1 tsp lemon extract (we’ll return to this excellent ingredient later) 
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
good grinding black pepper
2 tsp turmeric
2 tbsp good olive oil
3-4 garlic cloves, crushed
6-8 chicken thighs, skin pulled off and chucked away
1 plastic baggie — resealable is best
1 more tablespoon olive oil

Mix up the fines herbs, salt, lemon extract, red pepper flakes, black pepper, turmeric, garlic and olive oil in a little bowl. Dump the chicken thighs into the baggie and pour over your marinade. Seal the baggie, or tie it shut well, and now squoosh the chicken all about so that the marinade covers every thigh. Put in the fridge until you are ready to use — overnight, all day, for an hour or so. 

When you are ready to cook it, preheat your oven to 200C, put the marinated thighs in a baking dish and drizzle over the last spoonful of oil. Give them about half an hour — till the juices run clear. 

The marinade means you don’t miss the crispy skin… and thighs baked without their skin are much, much less fatty. Gets my vote.