Spicy Baked Chicken and Salad
Spicy Baked Chicken and Salad
Yields 4 servings
3 cups breadcrumbs
1/4 cup chili powder
1/2 cup cumin powder
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 large, gallon-size, re-sealable plastic bag
1 whole chicken, cut into 10 pieces
Zest and juice of 2 limes
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 vine-ripe tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 small red onion, chopped
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
1 heart of romaine lettuce, cleaned and chopped
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Mix the breadcrumbs, lime zest, chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper in the plastic bag and toss to combine. Add the chicken, a couple pieces at a time, seal the bag and give it a good shake to coat the chicken. Place the coated chicken on a baking sheet and repeat with remaining chicken until all the pieces are coated. Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until cooked through.
Into a container with a lid, add the lime juice, garlic and olive oil. In a salad bowl, add the tomatoes, red pepper, red onion and romaine, and pour dressing over the salad. Season with salt and pepper, sprinkle with chopped cilantro and toss to coat. Serve salad alongside the chicken.
Caesar Salad
Caesar Salad
Serves 4
If you prefer not to use the raw egg yolk in this recipe, substitute one tablespoon of store-bought mayonnaise. The croutons are best made as close to serving time as possible.
For the croutons:
6 one-inch slices of ciabatta or another crusty white bread,cut into 3/4-inch cubes
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon fresh flat-leaf parsley,minced
Coarse salt (to taste)
For the salad:
2 cloves of garlic,halved
2 large egg yolks
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
4 to 5 anchovies
2 tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 heads romaine lettuce,washed and dried thoroughly and torn into 2-inch pieces
Grated Parmesan cheese (to taste)
1. FOR THE CROUTONS:
Preheat oven to 350°. In a medium-size bowl, toss bread cubes with remaining crouton ingredients. On a parchment-lined baking sheet, toast croutons until golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes.
2. FOR THE SALAD:
In a large wooden bowl, using a wooden spoon, mash halved garlic cloves to a fine paste. Stir in egg yolks and Dijon mustard. Add anchovies, and grind to a paste. Add lemon juice, and season with salt and pepper. Slowly stir in olive oil until dressing is creamy
3. Add lettuce to bowl, and toss to coat leaves thoroughly with dressing and grated Parmesan. Sprinkle croutons over salad, and serve topped with Parmesan shavings.
Crab Salad in Carrot Coulis
Crab Salad in Carrot Coulis
Serves 4
1 pound picked Dungeness or Peekytoe crab
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
1 small head frisée, white part only, washed and dried
Carrot Coulis (recipe follows)
Cumin Coriander Mousseline (recipe follows)
1. In a medium bowl, combine crab, 1 tablespoon oil, and 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice. Toss gently to combine. Season with salt and pepper; set aside. In a medium bowl, toss frisée with remaining 2 tablespoons oil and 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper; set aside.
2. Spoon 2 to 3 tablespoons carrot coulis into the center of 4 shallow soup bowls. Spread the coulis in a 4-inch circle. Place a 3-inch ring mold in the center of the coulis. Divide crab between the molds and top each with a small spoonful of mousseline. Carefully remove the ring. Top each plate with one-quarter of the frisée. Serve immediately.
Carrot Coulis
Makes about 1 cup
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 large carrots, peeled, trimmed, and thinly sliced
1/4 cup thinly sliced sweet onion
1/3 stalk celery, peeled, trimmed, and thinly sliced
1/4 medium leek, white part only, thinly sliced, washed and dried
Spice sachet (1/4 teaspoon each, whole fennel seeds, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, white peppercorns, finely chopped parsley, and a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes, tied in a piece of cheesecloth)
About 3 cups homemade or low sodium canned chicken stock
1/2 cup carrot juice
Juice of 1 lime
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
Tabasco sauce
1. In a large skillet, heat oil over low heat. Add carrot, onion, celery, and leek. Cook, until the vegetables are soft but not brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Add the sachet, and enough chicken stock to cover the vegetables. Bring to a boil, and reduce to a simmer, cooking until almost all of the liquid has evaporated, about 30 minutes.
2. Working in batches no larger than 2 cups, purée vegetables in a blender until very smooth. Let stand until cool. Measure 1/2 cup, and add carrot juice. Season with lime juice, salt, pepper, and Tabasco sauce. Reserve remaining purée for another use.
Cumin Coriander Mousseline
Makes about 2 1/2cups
1 large egg yolk
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon sherry vinegar
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 cups whipped cream
2 teaspoons toasted ground coriander
1 teaspoon toasted ground cumin
Pinch fresh lime zest
1. In a medium bowl, whisk together egg yolk, lemon juice, mustard, and vinegar. Season with salt and pepper. Whisking constantly, drizzle in the oil, starting with one drop at a time. When the mixture starts to look thick and creamy, continue whisking, while pouring the oil into the bowl in a slow steady stream. Fold in the whipped cream, coriander, cumin, and lime zest.
Chicken Salad
Chicken Salad
SERVES 6
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts (2 small whole breasts)(2 small whole breasts)
3/4 cup plain nonfat yogurt
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons freshly chopped chives
1 tablespoon freshly chopped tarragon
1 Granny Smith apple
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 cup finely diced fennel
1/2 cup finely diced celery
2 cups red seedless grapes, cut in half
6 slices pumpernickel bread
1 bunch watercress, tough stems removed
Olive-oil cooking spray
1. Combine salt and pepper in a bowl. Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Coat with cooking spray. Sprinkle chicken with some of the salt mixture; place in sauté pan. Reduce heat to medium; cover. Cook until chicken is cooked through, about 12 minutes (flip halfway through cooking time). Remove from pan; set aside.
2. In a bowl, combine yogurt, mustard, chives, tarragon, and remaining salt mixture. Core the apple, and cut into 1/4-inch dice. Place in a medium bowl with lemon juice, and toss to combine. Add fennel, celery, and grapes. Cut reserved chicken into 1/2-inch pieces. Add to salad with yogurt dressing; stir to combine. Serve on pumpernickel bread, open-faced, with watercress.
No-Mayo Potato Salad
No-Mayo Potato Salad
Yields 4 servings
2 1/2 pounds Idaho potatoes, cut into quarters lengthwise, then chopped into large chunks
1/2 cup beef consomme or broth
3 tablespoons capers
1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
1/2 medium red onion, finely chopped
1 lemon, zested and juiced
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Place the potatoes in a medium pot. Fill with cold water and bring to a boil. Add a liberal amount of salt and cook the potatoes until they are tender, about 12-15 minutes. Once the potatoes are tender, drain and return them to the warm pot to dry them out.
Add the beef consomme, capers, red bell pepper, celery, onion, lemon zest and juice, red wine vinegar and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. This dish tastes great either warm or cold.
Hot Pineapple Salad
Hot Pineapple Salad
Courtesy of Clay Aiken
Serves 8 to 10
One 20-ounce can pineapple tidbits with juice
1 cup sugar
6 tablespoons self-rising flour
2 cups grated medium-sharp cheddar cheese
1 sleeve Ritz crackers, crushed
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1. Preheat oven to 350°. In a medium bowl, combine pineapple, sugar, flour, and cheese. Transfer to an 8-by-8-inch, 1 1/2 quart baking dish. Top with crushed crackers and drizzle with melted butter. Bake for 35 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
Baked Caprese Salad
Baked Caprese Salad (courtesy of Giada De Laurentiis)
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Yield: 8 to 12 appetizer servings
1 loaf baguette, cut into 1/2-inch thick slices (about 30 to 36 slices)
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
5 Roma tomatoes, sliced
1 1/4 pounds fresh mozzarella, sliced
1 bunch fresh basil leaves, stemmed
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
Arrange the sliced baguette bread on a baking sheet. Brush with some of the olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Bake until the bread is pale golden and crisp, about 5 minutes. Remove from the oven. Top each slice of bread with a slice of tomato and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Top each slice of tomato with a slice of mozzarella and sprinkle with salt. Return the baking sheet to the oven until the cheese and tomato are warmed, about 5 minutes.
Arrange the toasts on a serving platter. Top each toast with a basil leaf. Using the brush, drizzle the remaining olive oil over the basil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and serve.
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