last night, umm, actually it's still tonight, the 7th, i made broiled chicken legs, inspired by my mom.
i should explain.
growing up, we had a chamber's stove, the same kind rachel r. uses on her 30 minute meals show, which happens to have this really cool griddle/broiler.
my mother made the best dry rubbed chicken legs and breasts in the broiler, especially for trips to meet relatives at rockaway beach (yes, the one from the song).
with 2 or 3 big irish families getting together, my mom would broil dozens of chicken legs the night before, to be enjoyed on the beach the next day, served cold from a giant old steel cooler my dad had to carry along with chairs and a wood and canvas umbrella for what seemed like miles. the golden broiled legs were encrusted in salt and pepper (and occasionally sand
). they were the best.
so, in honor of my mom, i broiled about 20 skinless chicken legs, half rubbed in paprika/powdered garlic/powdered onion/s&p, half in just a lot of salt and pepper. i brushed a few of the s&p's with sweet baby ray's honey bbq sauce towards the end.
mine were good, but it'll never be 1971 again, at mom and dad's feet, well dug into the sand with my cousins patrick and mikey, and my sisters all about.
it was probably the only time all day that it was quiet enough to hear the surf...