COLD SALAD PLATES FOR SUMMER

The summer’s heat often drains us of any wish to stand next to a hot stove or oven.  Here are some of my favorite cold plates for Summer.

Chicken Salad

There are a lot to way to fix Chicken Salad!  The two methods I prefer are Chunky and Pate’ For the Chunky I like to roast chicken breast on the bone with the skin on.  I feel that this make the meat moist and tender.  As soon as the chicken is cool to the touch, take the skin off and debone the breast.  Chop or shred the meat to the size you like.  Then add the following.

For two breasts-

2 stocks of Celery diced

½ Red Onion diced

¼ cup sweet relish

Salt and Pepper

½ cup Mayo

1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard

Mix well taste for seasoning and then refrigerate for at least one hour before serving.

Pate’ style

For this I poach the Chicken Breasts in broth and add some DAVIS DUST.  Mix the broth with the seasonings and place the chicken in the cool water.  Bring to a simmer – do not let it boil or the meat will be tough and dry.  Cook until the temperature is 170.  Let the meat cool in the broth until you can handle it.  Cut into large dice.

Put the following in a food processor fitted with a metal blade.

½ white onion – rough chopped

2 stocks of celery rough chopped

Pulse until they are a fine dice

Add the chicken and pulse until the mixture comes together and there are no large pieces.  Add:

½ cup Mayo

1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard

Pulse to mix.  Taste for seasonings and adjust.  At this point you can add any of the following to taste

Sweet Relish

Capers

Chill covered for an hour.  I use this on crackers or with raw veggies as an appetizer.  I also use this on white bread for tea sandwiches

Both of these can be served on a bed of lettuce with radishes, green onion and hard boilde eggs as a salad plate. 

QUICK PARMESAN CRUSTED CHICKEN

This recipe is based on one boneless skinless chicken breast.  Just increase accordingly.

2 Tablespoons of flour

1 Teaspoon of DAVIS DUST ( or any seasoning you prefer)

1/3 cup of grated Parmesan Cheese

1 egg with 1 teaspoon of water

1 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast

Mix the flour DUST and Parmesan Cheese in a flat bottomed dish

Whisk the egg and water to make an egg wash and put in another flat bottomed dish

Heat a sauté pan on medium and add Olive Oil and butter in equal amounts.

Dip the chicken in the egg wash.  Make sure that it is coated well.  Then put it in the flour mixture and turn to coat.  If you are careful 95% of the flour mixture will adhere to the chicken.  Place in the pan sauté for 7 – 10 minute depending on the size of the chicken breast.  Turn over and cook for another 7 minutes or until the chicken reaches 175 on an instant read thermometer.

Serve immediately.

Produce for Summer

We are in the peak season for locally grown produce and farmers markets.  So how do you buy at the peak of the season and keep them fresh?  There are many ideas and theories about this.  Just remember that the sooner you eat, freeze or preserve the produce, the better.  Here is a link to a great article.

http://www.ehow.com/how_4496128_keep-produce-fresh-longer.html

I also try to handle the produce as soon as I get home. I find that if I take the time then the less I loose. 

To freeze fruits and vegetable is easy.  I regularlly freeze any fruit or vegetable I can.  Rather than go into all the details, use this link.  It has a lot of great information and will help.  If the fruit does get mushy - make a compote.

Here is the link

http://allrecipes.com/howto/how-to-freeze-fruits-and-vegetables/

Don't be afraid to try - you may just amaze yourself!