Rotisserie Chicken Wednesday: Chinese chicken salad

It's hot. Don't cook. Grab a rotisserie chicken and make this salad for dinner. It's a Wolfgang Puck recipe, amended to eliminate the cooking of the chicken and therefore fit into the rotisserie chicken Wednesday theme.

Once you grab and already cooked chicken, there isn't much to this recipe other than chopping some cabbage and lettuce and making the vinaigrette.

Chinois chicken salad

for the dressing:
2 teaspoons dry mustard, preferably Chinese or English
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
1 teaspoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons light sesame oil
2 to 3 tablespoons peanut oil
salt
freshly ground black pepper

place all the vinaigrette ingredients, except peanut oil, in a blender and blend until smooth. Add peanut oil slowly and season to taste.

for the salad
1 rotisserie chicken, picked and shredded
1 large head napa cabbage, sliced into 1/4-inch strips
1 head romaine lettuce, sliced into 1/4-inch strips
6 oz snow peas, sliced into 1/4-inch strips
1/4 cup roasted peanuts, chopped

combine the chicken, cabbage, romaine and snow peas in a bowl and toss with enough vinaigrette to coat the salad nicely. mound on a platter and sprinkle the peanuts over the top.

serves 4. source: wolfgangpuck.com recipe, with amendments.

See, OUR tomatoes are fine

I took issue with the whole concept of a "tomato scare." I was never scared. At all. But it was weird to walk into Subway during the whole ordeal and -- Subway and I go way back -- order a sub that didn't have tomatoes on it for the first time in like 25 years.

But there was never anything wrong with ours, confirming my lack of fear. And all it did is point out something we already knew: it's better to buy local. It's kind of disturbing that so many of the tomatoes we consume around here come from thousands of miles away. Where are ours going? Do yourself a favor, and next time you're at the store, for fun, ask where the tomatoes are coming from. If the answer is not Florida, and it probably won't be, just go to a produce stand and pick some up there. Most tomatoes in supermarkets are bred to be red, not to taste like tomatoes.

Speaking of bread, here is a recipe for Panzanella, the Italian bread-and-tomato salad. It could make a light summer meal, or an excellent side to a grilled steak.

Panzanella

2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 pounds fresh tomatoes, chopped, juices reserved
8-12 oz of hearty bread, cut into thick slices (day-old bread is perfect)
6 anchovy filets, rinsed and chopped (yes, they are optional)
1 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded and chopped
1/3 cup capers, rinsed
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 cup fresh basil, cut into ribbons
salt and pepper

combine the garlic and vinegar in a small bowl. add a little salt and pepper. put tomatoes with their juice in a large salad bowl.

toast the bread slices, then tear into bit-sized pieces and add to the tomatoes. add anchovy, cucumber and capers and toss.

whisk together the vinegar and 1/2-cup of olive oil and toss into the salad. taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper if necessary. you can serve immediately, or wait an hour or so and flavors will intensify. if allowing to sit, add the remaining 1/4-cup of olive oil and toss just before serving.

 

serves 4-6
source: San Francisco Ferry Plaza Farmer's Market Cookbook.

About those beets ...

Given my introduction to this blog was via the beets and goat cheese, I feel compelled to post the recipe. It isn't really complicated, but does require some time and several independent steps, so I figured I'd wait until Friday. Think of it as a weekend project.

My first experience with beets and goat cheese was when I saw an episode of Wolfgang Puck's show where he made a napoleon of them. It looked tremendous. Then I went to his restaurant Spago and had it, and loved it. And when I go to Cafe Ponte, his beet and arugula salad -- with fried balls of goat cheese -- is my favorite thing on the menu. Well, one of my favorite things.

I've made Chef Puck's version and it's nice for a dinner party, but it's a little complicated for a crowd.
When I devised this a couple of weeks ago, it was for 50 people. So I had to take some of the fuss out of it. Easy dicing instead of precious stacking. One dressing. And the mousse isn't so much a mousse as a thinned down soft cheese.

Admittedly, it's a long recipe, but it isn't complicated. And at the party, five people told me that they never realized that they loved beets. I turned red.

Roasted beets and goat cheese mousse

for the beets:
3-4 large or 6-8 medium beets. red, golden or a combination. (red beets are available everywhere. I have found golden at the Wild Oats that seems to hope to one day be a Whole Foods on Dale Mabry.)
olive oil
salt

preheat oven to 400 degrees. trim stems and root end off beets. place on a sheet of aluminum foil. rub with oil, sprinkle with salt and wrap in the foil. (if using red AND gold beets, wrap the reds and the golds separately. otherwise, you're going to have all reds.) roast until you can easily pierce a beet with a skewer. depending on any number of factors, including size, variety, actual oven temperature and probably the day of the week, this can take anywhere from 45-90 minutes. when they're done, remove from oven and allow to cool. when cool enough to handle, pull skins off (good to wear rubber gloves if you've got them). the skins should come right off with gentle pressure, but you can use a peeler if necessary. chop the beets into about a 1/2-inch dice. again, if using red and gold beets, keep them separate.

for the vinaigrette
1 cup orange juice
1 shallot, chopped (or 1/2 a small red onion)
2 tbls honey
1/2 cup olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

while the beets are roasting, put the juice, shallot and honey in a blender. with the blender running, slowly pour the olive oil in to emulsify. add salt and pepper to taste.

when the beets are chopped, put them in a zipper bag and add enough vinaigrette to dress them. put the bag in the refrigerator and let marinate for at least an hour, or as long as a few days. if we haven't mentioned it enough: if you are using red and gold, put them in separate bags.

for the mousse
6 oz goat cheese
3 oz cream cheese
3 oz plain yogurt
zest from the orange used to make the juice for the vinaigrette (optional)

bring the cheeses to room temperature. put everything in a bowl and mix with an electric mixer. unless you're really good with a whisk. refrigerate until ready to serve.

garnishes
a couple of tablespoons of toasted, chopped hazelnuts (other nuts would work -- maybe almonds -- but hazelnuts are classic.)
fresh arugula (optional)

to assemble
put the beets in a bowl. if you have red and gold, put the red in first and the gold on top. dollop the mousse on top, sprinkle with the nuts and arugula.

Serves 6 people who don't already know they love beets, or 4 that do.

Quick! Here's what's for dinner

Wow. Is it really almost 5? Time for some dinner triage to keep us out of the drive-through lane. Around this time of the day I get quite peckish and something greasy sounds good. Must ... keep ... focused ... on ... healthy ... food.

Sort of healthy anyway.

We're having super quick Eggroll Salad tonight ... after I stop at the store to load up on crisp, cold lettuce and veggies, including carrots and colorful peppers and frozen eggrolls. Once home I'll pop the eggrolls in the oven and then make the salad. I'll dress the salad with Annie's Shiitake & Sesame dressing, then cut the eggrolls in three pieces and scatter over the top.

My people love it. Well, they better or they'll have to play Go Fish.

Football hangover food

Yes, I do want to brag. Didn't I say right here on this very blog on Jan. 21 that the Giants would beat the Patriots by 3 in the Super Bowl? I'm taking a bow right now because they actually did win by 3 (17-14). Why didn't I bet? Because I'm usually wrong on those sort of things. Anyway, lots of whooping and hollering at our house last night.

If you're like most of America, you ate a lot of deliciously bad stuff yesterday. And among it was not a lot of vegetables. Unless you count the guacamole and carrots sticks, which you shouldn't because they were eaten with chips and creamy dip.

Today, is cleanse day. You could eat a simple salad with lean protein cooked without extra fat (chicken or shellfish). You could eat nothing. Or you could make a filling soup that's chock full of veggies. We opt for the latter. Here's a nutritious recipe that can be made in about 45 minutes.

Rainbow Soup

1 medium onion (2 1/2 inches in diameter), chopped
2 large stalks celery, chopped
4 cloves garlic, pressed
1 medium red bell pepper
1 cup chopped carrot
1 heaping tablespoon sweet paprika
3 teaspoons turmeric
1/2 teaspoon cinammon
1 bay leaf
A little hot sauce
1 15 ounce can tomatoes, chopped
1 1/2 cups baby spinach leaves, chopped
10 oz frozen green beans (or fresh)
Salt and pepper
5 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon olive oil
Cooked cubed or shredded chicken (optional)
Canned white beans, drained and rinsed (optional)

In a large soup pot, put oil, onion, and celery. Cook on low heat for 5-10 minutes to develop more sweetness in the onion.

Add garlic and turn up the heat to medium. Cook for a minute or so and add the peppers and carrots. Cook another minute or two and add the spices. Stir and cook until fragrant - another minute or so.

Add tomatoes and stock, and simmer for 15 minutes. Add frozen beans and chard and simmer for another 5 minutes or until the beans are cooked. If adding cooked cubed meat such as chicken or turkey, add at this time.

Adjust seasonings.

Makes about 9 cups of soup, each one has 53 calories (without chicken or beans) and 3 grams of fiber.

Source: www.allrecipes.com.

A not so simple salad

Here's the basic skeleton of a delicious Asian Beef Salad. I love salads when warm protein (chicken, fish, grilled beef, even chopped up egg rolls) mixes with ice-cold greens. Sort of a yin and yang, Brad and Angelina, Batman and Robin effect.

This recipe has a fair amount of ingredients, some that you might even have. Vietnamese fish sauce is generally nasty stuff but when it's mixed with sugar it's palatable to the unintiated Westerner. It adds a certain something to Asian dishes but in general, I leave it out. That's because I buy it for one or two tablespoons then it goes bad the rest of the year. To make up for it in this recipe, up the lime juice a bit and add a 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil (not olive).

As for the fresh herbs, you can sub flat-leaf Italian parsley if you have it for cilantro or mint. Don't like one or the other, leave it out. There's a lot of give in this recipe to meet your personal tastes.

Asian Beef Salad

1 pound sirloin steak, trimmed of excess fat
3 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon chili paste or crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, quartered lengthwise, then thinly sliced
1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
1 cup halved grape tomatoes
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
2 scallions, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons chopped roasted peanuts

Preheat a lightly oiled grill to medium-high. Grill the steak for 7 to 10 minutes per side for medium-rare. Remove the steak from the grill and let rest for 5 minutes. Once the steak has rested, cut it into thin strips.

Meanwhile, in a large serving bowl, combine the lime juice, fish sauce, soy sauce, sugar and chili paste. Add the strips of steak and toss to coat.

Add the cucumber, onion, tomatoes, cilantro, mint and scallions, then gently toss to combine. Transfer to 4 serving plates, then sprinkle each serving with peanuts.

Nutrition information per serving: 195 calories; 7 g fat (2 g saturated); 40 mg cholesterol; 8 g carbohydrate; 25 g protein; 2 g fiber; 680 mg sodium.

Source: American Cancer Society's "The Great American Eat-Right Cookbook."

Eat this. You'll be hooked.

I am totally hooked on the Blue Cheese Wedge Salad at Courtside Grille in the Carillon area of very northern St. Petersburg. Or maybe it's Clearwater. Anyway, it's on Ulmerton Road. Go there and order it. OR, grill a steak tonight and make this salad to go with.

Talk about a throwback. Ever since we discovered baby greens with names like frissee and mache and radicchio, we've kicked iceberg to the curb. But sometimes, the ice cold coolness of iceberg can't be beat. It's the perfect foil for high-flavor blue cheese. This recipe takes Courtside's version one step further, by adding bacon and chopped tomatoes. (Courtside serves it with a heat-seeking scallion.)

Man, I'm hungry. Gotta get to the store.

Wedge Salad with Blue Cheese Dressing

1 head of iceberg lettuce, cut into 4 wedges, rinsed and well drained
1 cup dairy sour cream (do not use no-fat) OR 3/4 cup sour cream and 1/4 cup mayonnaise
3 tablespoons buttermilk
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 cup crumbled blue cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
8 tablespoons crisp cooked crumbled bacon
1/2 to 3/4 cup chopped tomatoes

Core lettuce head and cut into 4 wedges. Rinse, drain well and pat dry. For dressing, mix sour cream with buttermilk and vinegar until smooth. Stir in 1/2 cup crumbled cheese and salt and pepper to taste.

Drizzle 1/4 of blue cheese dressing over center and down sides of each lettuce wedge on a serving plate, using amount desired. Using remaining 1/2 cup blue cheese, sprinkle some over each wedge. Then top with a sprinkling of bacon and tomatoes. Serve immediately.

Makes 4 servings.

NOTE: To make center cut iceberg lettuce salads, cut head of lettuce crosswise into slices and proceed as directed above.

Source: Los Angeles Daily News

Cool slaw

Made well,  cole slaw has the delicious snap of a side dish well-suited for ribs,  hot dogs,  hamburgers and grilled chicken. 

If that sounds like Fourth of July fare, that's because it is. An Asian slaw with salted peanuts is lovely alongside those teriyaki or honey barbecue wings you'll be ordering for takeout for your Independence Day party.

This Fourth of July,  make the cole slaw yourself and your guests will finally get a taste of the real deal. Here are two you can try:

Coleslaw for a Crowd

For dressing:

3/4 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup Dijon mustard

1/4 cup packed light brown sugar

3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

2 tablespoons buttermilk

4 teaspoons celery seeds

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/8 teaspoon cayenne

For salad:

3 cups shredded green cabbage (about 1/2 head cabbage)

3 cups shredded red cabbage (about 1/2 head cabbage)

1 large carrot,  peeled and shredded

1/2 cup grated yellow onion

1 green bell pepper,  finely diced

1/4 cup minced fresh parsley

- In large bowl, combine mayonnaise, mustard, sugar, vinegar, buttermilk, celery seeds, salt, pepper and cayenne. Whisk to combine.

- With food processor or hand-held grater, shred cabbages, carrot and onion. (You can also cut the cabbages by hand in larger pieces.)

- Add to bowl with diced bell pepper and minced parsley.

- Toss well to combine.

- Chill,  covered in refrigerator until time to serve.

- Better when it has chilled,  but be sure to toss again before serving as dressing sinks to the bottom. Makes 10 servings.

 

Source: Emeril Lagasse

***

Sweet & Sour Slaw

For dressing:

1/3 cup rice vinegar or cider vinegar

1/4 cup crunchy peanut butter (smooth also acceptable)

3 tablespoons brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon soy sauce (used low sodium)

1 teaspoon oriental sesame seed oil

For salad:

7 to 8 cups (about 1 1/4 pounds) shredded green cabbage

Red pepper flakes to taste (optional)

1/2 cup dry roasted,  unsalted peanuts,  coarsely chopped

- Place dressing ingredients in blender,  and process them on low until well mixed.

- About 1 hour before serving, place the dressing in a large bowl and gradually add all the shredded cabbage, tossing well to mix. Stir in red pepper flakes (if you are using them). Cover bowl, chill for 1 hour, tossing it every now and then. Sprinkle with peanuts before serving.

Source: The Good Food Gourmet by Jane Brody (Bantam,  1992)

Beefy salad

I know it's not even 9 a.m. but this sounds good for dinner. Obviously, you can play with this recipe anyway you like. I've included a recipe for Spicy Garlic Dressing but you can use a favorite bottled vinaigrette.

I love salads topped with warm protein, be it beef, chicken or seafood. The greens wilt just a little but most retain their cool crunch. Sort of a yin and yang thing.

Argentine Steak Salad
Spicy Garlic Dressing (see recipe)
2         medium        green onions, thinly sliced
2         large         roma (plum) tomatoes, chopped
1         pound         beef boneless sirloin steak, 1 to 1 1/2 inches thick
1         large         red or yellow bell pepper
1/4       teaspoon      salt
1/8       teaspoon      pepper
6         cups          bite-size pieces salad greens
3         ounces        sliced mushrooms

Heat coals or gas grill. Prepare Spicy Garlic Dressing; reserve 1/4 cup dressing. Stir onions and tomatoes into remaining dressing.

Cover and grill beef steak and bell pepper 4 to 5 inches from medium heat 15 to 20 minutes, turning beef once and bell pepper frequently, until desired doneness. Sprinkle beef with salt and pepper. Cut beef into 1/4-inch slices. Toss beef and reserved dressing. Cut bell pepper into strips.

Place salad greens, bell pepper, mushrooms, and beef in large bowl. Add remaining salsa mixture, toss.

 
Spicy Garlic Dressing
1/4       cup           olive or vegetable oil
2         tablespoons   chopped fresh parsley
3         tablespoons   red wine vinegar
1         tablespoon    lemon juice
1         teaspoon      chopped fresh or 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
1/2       teaspoon      crushed red pepper
2         cloves        garlic -- finely chopped

Shake all ingredients in tightly covered container.

Recipes from www.hungrymonster.com.

Make a bean salad

I love this salad. It's super fresh tasting and really good for you. It could be used as a vegetarian entree or a picnic dish. The time change is next weekend so how about planning an evening picnic soon when it stays light longer and the weather is still bearable.

Anyway, serve it with tortillas or even as a side dish for grilled steak.

Black and White Bean Salad
1 (15 1/2-ounce) can great northern beans, rinsed and drained
2 (15 1/2-ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and dried
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 large red pepper, diced
2 cups frozen yellow corn, thawed
1 bunch green onions, cleaned and sliced
1 cup commercial salsa
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

In a large bowl, gently stir the beans and tomatoes together, taking care not to mash the beans. Combine the red pepper, corn and green onions and stir into the bean mixture. Set aside.
In a small bowl, combine the salsa, vinegar, cilantro and black pepper. Stir with wire whisk until well-blended. Pour over the vegetable mixture and toss gently.
- Adapted from "Cooking Healthy Across America" by the American Dietetic Association (John Wiley & Sons, $24.95)

Row-tiss-er-eeee!

Still in that eating light mode. This Greek salad (salad that is Greek, not the one we're used to with the potato salad) would be a flavorful and filling accompaniment to tonight's rotisserie chicken. You can serve it alongside or lay strips of chicken on top.

The dressing comes from the oil in the roasted red pepper.

Fair warning: I'll be out of the office tomorrow so I won't be posting a recipe. Do you still have leftovers left?? See you back on Friday.

Quick and Light Greek Salad
3 cucumbers, halved, seeds removed, and sliced (remove peel if desired)
3/4 cup crumbled, reduced-fat feta cheese (or substitute blue cheese)
1/2 cup sliced, canned black olives, drained
3 cups diced Roma tomatoes (or another type of vine-ripened tomato, or cherry tomato halves)
1/3 cup julienne sun-dried tomatoes, oil only lightly drained off (you want some oil because this is the dressing)
2/3 cup chopped red onion

Add all the ingredients to a salad bowl and gently toss. Cover bowl and chill in refrigerator until ready to serve.

Yield: 8 servings

Nutritional Information: Per serving: 80 calories, 4 g protein, 9 g carbohydrate, 4 g fat (2 g saturated fat, 1 g monounsaturated fat, 0.3 g polyunsaturated fat), 9 mg cholesterol, 2.1 g fiber, 205 mg sodium. Calories from fat: 41%.

Source: www.webmd.com.

Steak and salad

I am addicted to the blue cheese wedge at Courtside Grill in the Carillon Center on Ulmerton Road. Every time we go there I get it (which has been about five times in the past year). It's a retro combo of ice-cold iceberg lettuce draped with blue cheese dressing ... the kind with chunks of pungent cheese in it.

I am hankering for it right now. I should have gone there on my birthday! Anyway, how about a nice grilled steak tonight ... I like flank cut across the grain in small strips. Pair it with this salad and I'd say that's pretty fine eating for a Thursday night.

Cheers.

Iceberg Wedge with Warm Bacon and Blue Cheese Dressing
1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon coarsely ground black pepper
1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1 cup coarsely crumbled blue cheese
Buttermilk (optional)

1/2 pound thick-cut bacon, cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces
1 large head of iceberg lettuce, cut into 6 wedges, each with some core attached
1/2 red onion, very thinly sliced

Mix first 4 ingredients in medium bowl. Add blue cheese and stir until well blended. If too thick, thin with buttermilk by tablespoonfuls to desired consistency. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.)

Cook bacon in large skillet over medium heat until golden brown and beginning to crisp. Arrange lettuce on plates. Spoon dressing over. Using slotted spoon, transfer warm bacon from skillet onto salads, dividing equally. Garnish with red onion.

Makes 6 servings.

Source: www.epicurious.com

It's Hot. Eat Salad

Okay, I am over my jet lag and back on Florida time after three weeks in California. Yes, it was gorgeous and fun and I got to wish my mother a happy 80th birthday at a lovely party, but talk about HOT. Usually the nights and mornings in Nor Cal are in the mid-50s, even in the summer, but a massive heatwave brought those temps up drastically.

Let me tell you, 115 is scorching even without all the humidity.

A round of applause, please, for my colleagues and friends Sean Daly and Linda Cole who helped keep the blog going while I was gone. Sean swears he is going to teach me how to put post photos with the entries so I'll be more flashy.

This salad recipe sounds perfect for a hot summer evening, and don't we have plenty of those left? Serve with a small croissant or roll. If you want to add protein, consider grilled chicken or strips of leftover flank steak. The recipe comes from the chef at Carmel Forest Spa near Haifa, Israel.

Fresh Strawberry and Blue Cheese Salad
2 cups halved or sliced strawberries (cut lengthwise)
2 cups mixed baby greens
1 cup cilantro, leaves only
1 rib celery, sliced lengthwise and finely diced
½ cup thinly sliced Bermuda onion
2 ounces toasted pecans
5 ounces blue cheese or Roquefort, crumbled
Dressing:
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup freshly squeezed fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon raspberry vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
½ hot chili, minced
Place all the ingredients for the salad in a large salad bowl except for the cheese, and toss gently.
Whisk all the ingredients for the dressing together (or place in a jar with a cover and shake vigorously) and pour over the salad. Garnish with the cheese and serve.
Makes 4 servings.

Cold Peanut Noodle Salad

As the temperatures soar in the high 90s, why not serve your family a cool, refreshing salad for dinner. This Asian-inspired salad can be made and on the table in less than 30 minutes.

8 oz. linguine pasta

Dressing:
2/3 cup bottled Thai-style peanut sauce
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 lb. Chinese cabbage, shredded (8 cups)
1/2 English seedless cucumber, quartered lenghtwise and thinly sliced crosswise
2 medium carrots, shredded (1 1/2 cups)
1/3 cup sliced scallions
1/3 cup chopped cilantro
1/4 cup chopped salted dry-roasted peanuts

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook as directed on package. Drain in a colander and cool under cold running water.

Mix dressing ingredients in a large serving bowl. Add cabbage, cucumber, carrots, scallions and cilantro, toss to mix. Add cooled pasta and toss to mix and coat. Sprinkle with peanuts before serving.