Cook’s treat

I have a particular fondness for cook’s treats of all sorts, and last night I had cook’s treat in spades.  I roasted a small chicken for dinner, and I was just going to have it roasted simply, slathered with fresh butter,  with a slice of mom-bread, and a dollop of grainy French mustard on the side.

This wasn’t a fancy chicken, just a so-called `natural’ chicken from the local super market.  When I was washing the chicken, I took the little packet of offal from the cavity and set it aside, dried the bird off, trussed it, salted it, and put it in the hot oven.  I had taken the two little fat pads on either side of the cavity, and I put them in a little fry pan to render; mm schmaltz.

When I turned to the packet of offal I was shocked, upon opening it, to find seven whole hearts!  Seven!  There was also one fat liver and a neck too, and while I do love liver a lot, this heart bonanza was such an unexpected treat.  So I seared the liver quickly, and ate it with a sprinkling of vanilla salt in one happy bite.  Then I added the seven hearts, and fried them quickly, rolling them around.  Another sprinkle of the salt, onto a pretty plate, and happy innard bliss was mine.

Seven delicious chicken hearts