Friday night at Buby Sarah’s (my Dad’s mom) was meat night. A dish with more than two items was considered a luxury, lukchen soup for example (chicken and noodle), and, in tribute to her humble beginnings, Sarah boiled everything for a minimum of three to five hours. Drumsticks were cooked grey and when picked up the meat fell off the bone. Brisket (also grey) would literally melt in your mouth.
It should have come as no surprise to me then that my favourite dish of all time was less creative genius and more Warsaw ghetto but hey, it was my grandmother and we all have our illusions.
“Hey Dad, how’s things? Cool. Well I was wondering if you knew how to make Buby’s fricassee? Great! I’ll get a pen…. What do you mean I don’t need one?"
• 1 large Pot, should be the same one used for everything consumed in the last twenty-five years.
• 6 chicken thighs (the cheap part after separated from the drumstick)
• 1 pack of chicken giblets (I said comfort food remember?)
• 2 carrots
• 2 Onions
• 1 Celery stalk
• 5 to 6 cups water
“OK, but how do you make the sauce? What?!! Are you sure? Really. That’s kind of disappointing, OK well I can try it I guess… when you were a kid too huh?”
• 1/2 bottle of Heinz Catsup
Slice vegetables into threes (Buby never cut anything more than three times) and throw into the pot along with chicken parts, catsup and water. Bring to a boil then simmer for a minimum of two hours. Three is better. Alternately put everything in a crockpot and forget about it until dinner time the next day.
Serves two for three days.
Posted by pike at September 1, 2004 09:49 AM