Sunday Supper: September
I was chatting with my friend Jean at lunch last week and we were sharing our love of a simple meal, well prepared. There are some meals that don’t need much reinvention. A beautifully roasted chicken, crispy potatoes, something green and a good dessert will always make me happy.
This month’s Sunday Supper starts with Thomas Keller’s famous roast chicken. The beauty of this recipe is its simplicity. The chicken is seasoned generously, roasted at high heat and left alone so the skin can become wonderfully crisp.
Alongside it, I’m serving Crispy Smashed Parmesan Potatoes and Charred Green Beans that cook in the air fryer in about 10 minutes.
Dessert is Key Lime Mousse layered with toasted graham cracker crumbs and finished with a tangy cream topping. It tastes like key lime pie but feels a little lighter at the end of dinner.
And because this is Sunday Supper, much of the work happens before Sunday evening. The potatoes can be cooked and smashed ahead, the mousse can be made a day or two before, and the green beans can be cleaned and trimmed.
Come Sunday, you’re mostly roasting, crisping and enjoying your day, Just the way you should!
THE MENU
Thomas Keller’s Roast Chicken
Crispy Smashed Parmesan Potatoes
Charred Green Beans
Key Lime Mousse
SHOPPING LIST
Produce
1½ pounds baby potatoes
1 pound fresh green beans
1 bunch fresh rosemary
1 bunch fresh parsley
1 bunch fresh thyme
5–6 limes or enough for ½ cup fresh juice plus zest
Meat
1 4-5 pound whole organic chicken
Dairy
1 stick unsalted butter
1 container shredded Parmesan, at least ½ cup
1 8-ounce package cream cheese
1 pint heavy cream
1 small container sour cream
Pantry
Olive oil
Kosher salt
Black pepper
Garlic powder
Dijon mustard
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
Graham crackers
Granulated sugar
Check Before Shopping
Kitchen twine
Parchment paper
Six 4-ounce dessert glasses, jars or ramekins
THE MAKE-AHEAD PLAN
Up to 2 Days Ahead
Make the Key Lime Mousse
Make and cool the toasted graham cracker crumbs. Store them in an airtight container at room temperature.
Prepare the mousse completely and transfer it to an airtight piping bag or covered container. Refrigerate. Keeping the mousse and crumbs separate gives you the best texture.
Prep the potatoes
Microwave the potatoes until tender, drain thoroughly and smash them.
Arrange in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet or container. Cover and refrigerate.
This is one of those rare instances where refrigeration actually helps. The surface dries slightly, which helps the potatoes become even crispier when roasted.
The Morning of Dinner
Wash and trim the green beans. Dry them very thoroughly, wrap loosely in paper towels and refrigerate.
Mince the rosemary, parsley and thyme and refrigerate separately.
Grate the Parmesan if needed.
Juice and zest the limes.
Put the graham cracker crumbs into the dessert glasses and pipe the chilled mousse over them. Cover and refrigerate.
3–4 Hours Before Dinner
Make the heavy cream and sour cream topping for the mousse. Pipe or spoon it onto the chilled mousse and return the glasses to the refrigerator.
Do not add the final graham cracker crumbs or lime zest yet.
Set the table.
Take out your serving platters and bowls.
Measure the seasonings for the potatoes and green beans.
About 1¼ Hours Before Dinner
Preheat the oven to 450°F.
Pat the chicken very dry, season and truss it.
Roast for 50 to 60 minutes, until the thickest part of the thigh reaches 165°F.
While the Chicken Roasts
Take the smashed potatoes from the refrigerator.
Toss the green beans with oil and seasonings so they're ready for the air fryer.
When the Chicken Comes Out
Transfer the chicken to a cutting board, baste with the thyme and pan juices, and allow it to rest.
Reduce the oven temperature to 425°F.
Put the potatoes into the oven and roast until crisp, flipping halfway through. Add the Parmesan and rosemary during the final 5 minutes.
Air fry the green beans at 380°F for 8 to 10 minutes.
Just Before Dinner
Carve the chicken.
Sprinkle the potatoes with fresh parsley.
Transfer the charred green beans to a serving dish.
Bring everything to the table while it's hot.
Dessert
When you're ready for dessert, take the mousse from the refrigerator and finish each glass with fresh lime zest and the reserved toasted graham cracker crumbs.
Then sit down and enjoy the fact that most of the work was already done.
