Red-on-Red Chicken Salad

Last Year's Post: Grilled Salmon and Pineapple with Avocado Dressing
Two Years Ago:  French Rhubarb Tarts

When I found this recipe in a magazine it was so pretty I just had to make it immediately.  We had friends over for dinner and I made it with watermelon, cantaloupe and strawberries because I already had the cantaloupe and strawberries on hand.  I totally forgot the basil but it was still great.  Now it's fresh cherry season so I modified the recipe to include watermelon and either cherries or strawberries for the red-on-red theme.  It's a cool, refreshing and light salad that's perfect for summer.

Note that the chicken needs to roasted and cooled in advance, which is easy to do the day before or early in the day.  (The vinegar mixture also needs to be reduced and cooled, but cooling only takes 15 minutes or so.)  Basting the chicken with soy sauce and olive oil before roasting gives it a deeper flavor, and refrigerating the chicken with its drippings keeps it very moist and makes it easy to cut cleanly.  Or, if you don't have the time, just buy a roasted chicken breast at the store.

I found some beautiful Bing and Rainier cherries at the farmers market, but of course you could use all Bing cherries if you can't find the more unusual Rainiers.  And you can either buy a watermelon and cut it up yourself, or buy a container of pre-cut watermelon from the produce department.

Regarding the feta cheese - I used to buy the little tubs of feta crumbles and thought they were OK until I finally bought a high-quality feta from France and realized how much better a really good feta tastes.  It's creamier, less salty, and has far better flavor. If you talk to your cheese person they can steer you toward a milder or stronger-flavored feta.  This time my cheese guy told me their highest-quality feta was from Greece so that's what I bought.  Yes, it costs more than the tubs of crumbles but not by much, and you can freeze what you don't use so it doesn't go to waste.  It's SO much better, I'll never go back.

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Red-on-Red Chicken Salad

Serves 4

Note:  the chicken needs to be roasted at least an hour in advance (or day before serving).  The vinegar mixture needs to be reduced at least 15 minutes in advance to cool.

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts

¼ cup soy sauce

¼ cup olive oil

Freshly ground pepper

½ cup balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons honey

6 cups seedless watermelon cut into bite-sized cubes

3 cups pitted and halved fresh cherries (or halved strawberries)

¼ red onion, very thinly sliced

6-8 cups baby spinach or arugula/baby spinach mix

½ cup fresh basil leaves, cut into thin strips

½ cup crumbled feta cheese

½ cup toasted pecans, coarsely chopped

Preheat the oven to 450d and line a baking pan with foil.  Place the chicken breasts in the pan, and brush both sides with soy sauce and olive oil.  Sprinkle both sides with pepper.  Roast to an internal temperature of 160 degrees (165 degrees after resting a few minutes), about 20 minutes.  Cool completely in the pan, then place the chicken breasts and pan drippings in a sealable plastic bag.  Shake the bag to coat the chicken breasts with drippings, then place in the refrigerator for an hour or two.

In a small saucepan combine vinegar and honey.  Bring to a simmer over medium heat for 7 to 8 minutes until reduced by half, stirring frequently.  Cool.  (If the cooled mixture is too thick, it may be thinned with a little additional vinegar.)

Combine the watermelon, cherries, and red onion in a bowl.  Divide the spinach among 4 plates; top with the fruit mixture, basil, and crumbled feta.  Thinly slice the chicken breasts and divide among the salads.  Sprinkle with pecans and drizzle with the vinegar mixture.  Serve immediately.

Mixed Berry Jalousie

Last Year's Post: Joanne Chang's Lemon Bars
Two Years Ago:  In Praise of Asparagus

I've always admired the beautiful pastries in French pastry shops, but never thought I could actually make one.  To my surprise, it's really easy to make a jalousie (zhah-loo-ZEE), which is a light and flaky puff pastry enclosing a luscious fruit filling, using frozen puff pastry and frozen mixed berries.  It reminds me of a fruit turnover in terms of taste, but it's much more impressive.  Since Easter and Mother's Day are coming up, I thought I would publish this recipe because it would make a perfect addition to your brunch table.  Serve it whole on a cutting board with a sharp knife and let your guests cut small pieces to their desire.  Jalousie also makes a great dessert served with whipped cream, creme fraiche, or ice cream.

The length of the recipe may give you pause, but most of it is just an explanation of how to roll, cut and assemble the puff pastry.  There aren't many ingredients and you can assemble the whole thing the night before so it's easy to bake in the morning.  It's worth looking for sparkling (coarse) sugar because it makes the pastry look professional - you can find it in some upscale groceries, gourmet shops, or at King Arthur Flour.

If your berries vary widely in size like mine did, it's a good idea to cut the larger berries to a more uniform size with the other fruit.  I cut the strawberries with a kitchen shears after they were cooked, mainly because I wasn't smart enough to cut them before I started.

To assemble the jalousie, you roll the pastry out and cut it lengthwise, then put one piece on a baking sheet and brush the edges with egg wash.  Add the berry filling, then fold and slash the top piece and put it on top of the pastry.  Unfold, seal the edges, and refrigerate for 20 minutes or overnight.  Before baking you simply brush it with egg wash and sprinkle with sparkling sugar.

People will be impressed.  I know I was.

printable recipe

Mixed Berry Jalousie 

Makes 1 6”x 14” pastry; serves 6 as breakfast or dessert, or 12 as part of a brunch or dessert buffet

Note: the filling may be prepared and the jalousie assembled in advance, up to the night before baking. 

For the filling:

12 ounces frozen mixed berries

¼ cup granulated sugar (or more to taste)

1 tsp fresh lemon juice (or more to taste)

¼ tsp finely grated lemon zest

Generous pinch of cinnamon

Pinch of kosher salt

1 ½ tablespoons cornstarch

For the pastry:

1 sheet frozen packaged puff pastry, thawed according to package directions

Flour for rolling out the dough

1 large egg

1 tsp sparkling sugar (can substitute granulated sugar)

Sweetened whipped cream, crème fraiche, or ice cream, optional

For the filling:

In a 3 quart saucepan, stir together the frozen berries, sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, cinnamon and salt.  Heat over medium high until the berries start to release their juices and the juices begin to bubble, 1-2 minutes.  Reduce heat to medium and simmer, stirring gently from time to time, until the berries release more juices and soften but still hold their shape somewhat, 7-9 minutes.  Remove from the heat.

With a slotted spoon, scoop out the berries, letting as much juice as possible drain back into the pan, and put the berries into a small heat-proof bowl.

Dissolve the cornstarch in 3 tablespoons cold water.  Whisk into the juices in the pan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.  Boil, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until very thick, up to 2 minutes.  Scrape the sauce into the bowl with the berries and gently fold together.  Taste and adjust sugar and lemon juice to your preference.  Let cool completely before proceeding. 

May be refrigerated for up to 2 days in a covered container before using.

For the pastry:

Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment.

In a small bowl, make an egg wash by beating the egg with 1 tablespoon cold water until well combined. 

Unfold the puff pastry dough on a floured surface, and gently pinch together any seams that have split.  With a floured rolling pin, roll the dough into a 12x14-inch rectangle, using a sharp knife to even the edges.  Cut the rectangle in half lengthwise to form two 6x14-inch rectangles.  Gently fold one of the rectangles in half and transfer to the baking sheet, then unfold.

Use a pastry brush to brush a 1-inch border of egg wash around all edges of the dough.  Save the remaining egg wash.  Spread the fruit filling evenly down the length of the dough, leaving the egg-washed border clear.

Lightly dust the remaining piece of puff pastry with flour and gently fold it in half lengthwise; don’t crease the fold.  Using a sharp knife, cut 1 ½ -inch long slashes at 1-inch intervals along the folded side of the dough, leaving at least a 1-inch border on the remaining three sides.  Do not unfold the dough.  Gently lift the folded strip (another pair of hands helps here) and position it over the fruit-filled dough rectangle, match up the straight edges (the fold should be down the middle of the pastry).

Gently unfold the top piece and stretch it over the filling, matching the straight edges all the way around.  Press the edges gently with your fingertips to seal, then gently crimp all the edges with a fork.

Chill the assembled jalousie for 15 to 20 minutes.

At this point the jalousie may be refrigerated, covered with foil or plastic, overnight.

Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 400d.

Right before baking, brush the top of the jalousie with a very light coating of the remaining egg wash (you won’t need it all) and sprinkle with sparkling or granulated sugar.

Bake the jalousie for 15 minutes, then rotate the baking sheet.  Continue baking until the pastry is puffed and deep golden brown, 12 – 15 minutes.  Immediately transfer the jalousie from the baking sheet to a wire rack by lifting the parchment paper onto the rack, then sliding it out from under the jalousie.

Let cool for at least 45 minutes.  Serve slightly warm or at room temperature, with optional cream or ice cream.  

Best the day it’s baked, but will keep wrapped well in aluminum foil, for 3 days.  Reheat at 325d for 5 minutes before serving.

Strawberry-Basil Lemonade

Ahhh, summer. Time for 4th of July picnics and family reunions.  This recipe for strawberry-basil lemonade is just a little different and will suit everyone from kids to adults (turn it into an adult beverage with the addition of a little vodka) plus the color is so pretty.

I made this recipe for The Lawyer's parents' 70th (!) anniversary party this past weekend.  (The guys at the party were busy checking out the bikinis by the pool that you can see in the background.)  It makes about 3 quarts of lemonade so you'll need a pitcher to accommodate.  I found this one at Crate and Barrel -  especially love the shape (reminds me of Kool-Aid commercials from way back) and the fact that it's plastic so it's lightweight and unbreakable.  It's hard to tell high-quality plastic ware from glass these days until you pick it up.
 
I received the original recipe from my friend Terry (part of our Gourmet Club along with her husband, Hiram).  I think she had it at a friend's house and wanted to pass it along.  Thanks Terry!

Terry and Hiram

When I made the recipe I had really fresh, very fragrant basil straight from the farmer's market that morning.  I mean fresh enough that you could smell it all over the kitchen.  That may be why I thought the basil flavor was a little strong and reduced it in the version below.  The original recipe called for 3/4 cup tightly packed basil leaves and I reduced it to 1/4 cup.  Just something to keep in mind if you try it.  You can even leave the basil out entirely if it doesn't appeal to you and just serve it as Strawberry Lemonade. 

I also found strawberries at the farmers market (yeah!!!! farmers markets).  The stand that I stopped at was selling 1.5 lb (more or less) containers, which was exactly what I needed.  The berries in the photo below weren't even the most perfect ones, which I saved for the garnish.  Beautiful and delicious.

You cook the strawberries in simple syrup (sugar and water) to extract their flavor and color.  Why does hot water make broccoli greener but make strawberries lose their color?  Who knows.  Anyway, the color and flavor of the strawberries goes into the syrup to make a pretty red syrup.  Then you add the basil which imparts flavor but not color (don't ask) and strain the whole thing.  The syrup is cooled and added to fresh lemon juice and cold water to taste, which is great - you can make the lemonade as tart or sweet as you want.  Just note that it takes an hour or two to chill the syrup and lemon juice so you want to start this process at least few hours before serving.

Have a great holiday week and enjoy summer!


* * click here for a printable recipe * *

Strawberry-Basil Lemonade
Makes about 12 cups


1.5 cups granulated sugar
1 cup water
1.5 lbs strawberries, divided
¼ cup packed basil leaves
2 cups fresh lemon juice, chilled (8-9 juicy lemons)
8 cups cold water
Vodka (optional)
Additional basil leaves for garnish (optional)


Gently wash the strawberries. Hull the berries and slice ½” thick. Set aside ½ cup for garnish.

Place the sugar and 1 cup water in a medium saucepan over high heat and stir until the sugar dissolves and the mixture comes to a boil. Add the 1 cup of strawberries, reduce heat to low, and simmer until the strawberries have softened, about 10 minutes.

Remove from the heat, add the basil leaves, and stir. Cool for about 45 minutes, then strain through a fine-mesh strainer set over a medium bowl; discard the solids. Cover the syrup and refrigerate until chilled.

When ready to serve the lemonade, combine 2 cups of chilled lemon juice with 8 cups of cold water and 1.5 cups of strawberry-basil syrup in a 3-quart pitcher and stir to combine. Taste and add additional syrup as needed.

To serve: add ice and reserved strawberries (and optional basil leaves or vodka) to serving glasses and pour lemonade over.

Chicken Salad with Fruits and Peppadews

Love, love salads!  Although this salad just screams summer, you could make it any time of the year because the fruits - strawberries, mandarin oranges, pineapple and avocado - are available year-round. In addition to the beautiful fruits, this salad features savory chicken, toasty nuts, a fresh citrus vinaigrette, and peppadews.  If you're not familiar with peppadews, they're small red peppers with a bit of heat and sweetness.  They're sometimes available in the olive bar at your grocer, otherwise you can find them in jars with the olives in the grocery shelves.  (They make a really great appetizer filled with cream cheese or goat cheese.) I would definitely serve this salad to company - it's beautiful, fresh and elegant.

Back in the days when The Lawyer and I had a giant community garden, we decided to grow our own peppadews.  Turns out that's not as easy as it sounds.  The peppers grow in South Africa and the seeds and breeding rights are closely guarded.  We scoured the internet and found a close substitute for seeds.  The surprise was that the peppers are so hot they pretty much melt your tongue and only become peppadews after removing the seeds and pickling them in a sugar brine to calm the heat.  The Lawyer, being ever inquisitive, tried a raw pepper and regretted it for quite a long time.  You should have seen the looks on our faces when we were first tried the pickled version after his fire-eating experience - pure fear which turned to relief when we found out they were great and just like store-bought peppadews.  Life is an adventure.

* * click here for a printable recipe version * *


Chicken Salad with Fruits and Peppadews
Four servings

Salad:

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts

Lemon pepper seasoning

Salt

1 avocado

1 bag baby salad greens

1/2 cup thin sliced red onion

1 cup mandarin oranges, drained

1 cup sliced strawberries

1 cup fresh pineapple chunks

8 – 10 Peppadew peppers, cut in half

1/2 cup pecans or almonds

Citrus Vinaigrette:

1/2 cup fresh orange juice (about one orange)

1/3 cup fresh grapefruit juice

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon honey

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce

2 teaspoons minced peeled fresh ginger

Combine all vinaigrette ingredients in a blender and process until smooth. Pour into a bowl, cover and chill.

Sprinkle the chicken with lemon pepper seasoning and salt. Grill or broil until done, about 5 minutes per side. Set aside to cool slightly, then thin slice on a diagonal.

Toast the pecans or almonds in a dry pan or oven until fragrant (this just takes a minute so watch them carefully). Coarsely chop the nuts.

Cut the avocado in half and remove the pit, then score the avocado flesh into cubes with a knife and scoop from the shell using a spoon. Gently combine salad greens, onions, mandarin oranges, strawberries, pineapple, peppadews and avocado chunks in a bowl. Toss with some citrus vinaigrette. Place on plates, top with sliced chicken breast and nuts. Spoon a little more vinaigrette over the chicken.

Tuxedo Strawberries

Valentine's Day is coming!   What better way to surprise someone than to make them a very special treat?  These cute little guys would make the perfect dessert or even a evening treat with a glass of champagne.  There's something about the taste of fresh strawberries and chocolate together that is just heavenly.  And they're really easy to make!  Just dunk some strawberries in two kinds of chocolate and chill in between.  To make it really fancy, buy some raspberry or strawberry syrup for a drizzle on the plate.

People go crazy for these.  Try them and you'll find out for yourself!


* * click here for a printable recipe version * *

Tuxedo Strawberries
Makes 10 strawberries

10 medium heart-shaped strawberries with green tops (try to find perfect red ones)
4 ounces white chocolate, chopped
4 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
Raspberry or strawberry syrup (optional)


Wash the strawberries and dry thoroughly. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Melt the white chocolate by placing in a small bowl in the microwave for approximately 3 minutes at low power, stirring after each minute.

Dip each berry up to the shoulder in white chocolate while holding by the green top.

Let the excess drip off while swirling gently, then place on the baking sheet. 

Chill in the refrigerator until the chocolate is hard, approximately one hour.

Melt the semisweet chocolate in the same manner as the white chocolate. Dip two sides of each berry in the chocolate to cover most (but not all) of the white chocolate, resembling a tuxedo jacket. Place on the baking sheet. Dip a wooden skewer in the chocolate and dot two “buttons” on the white chocolate front. 

Chill until ready to serve.

To serve, drizzle the syrup on a plate (optional) and top with strawberries.

For best flavor, serve within 5 or 6 hours.