Grilled chicken salad with tarragon pesto

My friend Marcia brought this recipe from Bon Appetit to my attention, and is it ever good. Fresh tarragon imparts a unique flavor to a pesto, and served with sliced cukes and radishes, this salad tastes totally garden fresh. Mouth-watering, we loved it.

Grilled chicken salad with tarragon pesto

1/4 cup (packed) fresh tarragon leaves plus 2 teaspoons chopped

1/4 cup (packed) fresh Italian parsley leaves

4 tablespoons pine nuts, divided

5 teaspoons fresh lemon juice, divided

2 teaspoons chopped shallot

6 tablespoons (or more) olive oil, divided, plus additional for brushing

4 boneless chicken breast halves

4 1/2-inch-thick slices country-style French or sourdough bread

1 5-ounce package mixed baby greens

1 cup thinly sliced radishes (from 1 large bunch)

1 cup thinly sliced Japanese cucumbers (about 1 1/2)

Place 1/4 cup tarragon leaves, parsley, 2 tablespoons pine nuts, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, and shallot in mini processor; chop coarsely. With machine running, gradually add 3 tablespoons olive oil. Season pesto to taste with salt and pepper. Add more olive oil by teaspoonfuls to thin, if necessary.

Whisk 2 teaspoons chopped tarragon, remaining 4 teaspoons lemon juice, and 3 tablespoons oil in small bowl. Season dressing with salt and pepper.

Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Brush chicken breasts on both sides with oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill until grill marks form and chicken is cooked through 7-8  minutes per side. Transfer to work surface; let rest 5 minutes. Using clean brush, brush both sides of bread with oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper; grill until dark-brown grill marks appear on both sides, 2-3 minutes per side.

Place greens, radishes, and cucumbers in large bowl. Toss with dressing. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Divide salad among 4 plates.

Cut grilled chicken breasts crosswise into 1/3″ thick slices. Arrange 1 sliced chicken breast atop salad on each plate. Spoon tarragon pesto over chicken. Sprinkle remaining 2 tablespoons pine nuts over salads. Serve with grilled bread slices. Makes 4 servings.

Summer squash and tomato tart

This photo is half of the tart, the other half being consumed no sooner than it was cut. This delightful dish wiped us away with its great flavors. In the original recipe, the crispy crust lays host to a thin layer of pesto-infused goat cheese (or in this case, soy cream cheese), topped with browned squash and onions, and finally layered with fresh tomatoes – all baked to perfection. We really liked my nondairy version – couldn’t imagine it tasting any better.

Summer squash and tomato tart

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 pound small yellow squash, sliced 1/4″ thick

1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced

salt and freshly ground pepper

2 tablespoons prepared dairy-free pesto (I make my own and freeze it)

2 heaping tablespoons soy cream cheese

flour for dusting

14 ounces frozen puff pastry, thawed

2 plum tomatoes, very thinly sliced

1 large egg beaten with 2 tablespoons water

10 small pitted green olives, coarsely chopped

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil, then add the squash and onion, season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until the squash and onion are lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat and let it stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Transfer vegetables to a strainer and press lightly.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, blend the pesto with the cream cheese. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the puff pastry to a 13″ square; trim the square to 12 “, and prick the pastry all over with a fork and invert it onto the parchment-lined baking sheet.

Spread the cream cheese mixture in a thin layer all over the pastry, leaving a 1″ border all around. Top with the squash mixture. Arrange the tomato slices on the tart and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Fold up the sides, pressing the corners together. Trim any excess pastry at the corners. Brush the pastry with the egg wsh and bake in the lower third of the oven for about 45 minutes (mine only took 35 minutes), until the edges are golden and the bottom is completely cooked through. Sprinkle with the olives, cut into squares and serve right away. Serves 4.

Celebrate Presto Pasta Nights!

Presto Pasta Nights is kicking it up at Daily Unadventures in Cooking blog. Join the celebration of pasta there, and have yourself a safe and tasty holiday.

Greek pasta salad

I love a Greek salad, and one of the things I have missed the most with lactose-intolerance is eating feta cheese. This recipe, from Go Dairy Free, by Alisa Marie Fleming, solves that problem with ease. Crumbled tofu is marinated in a classic Greek dressing, then the whole salad sits in the fridge for a few hours, allowing all the flavors to mingle and develop. You cannot taste tofu in this, I swear. The only modification I made from the original was to omit the onions (I’m not a fan of raw ones).

Greek pasta salad

1 pound fusilli or rotini pasta

6 tablespoons olive oil

6 tablespoons red or white wine vinegar

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons dried oregano

4 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 – 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

freshly ground black pepper, to taste

8 ounces soft or firm tofu, drained and crumbled

1 2.5-ounce can sliced black olives, drained

1 14-ounce can artichoke hearts, packed in water, drained and quartered

1 15-ounce can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained

1 bell pepper, chopped

1/2 pound tomatoes (I used grape), cut into 1/2″ chunks

Cook pasta according to package instructions.

While pasta is cooking, combine the oil, vinegar, lemon juice, oregano, garlic, salt, and pepper in a large bowl with a lid. Add the tofu and toss to coat, allowing to sit while you prepare the other ingredients. Once the remaining ingredients are ready and the pasta is drained, place them into the bowl and toss everything together to coat. Cover and refrigerate the salad for at least an hour or overnight (preferable) to allow the flavors to meld. Makes 8 servings.

Lemon meringue pie

From Land O’Lakes (yes, the butter website) comes Lemon meringue pie. It was a seamless modification to make this dairy-free, using margarine in place of butter. This is a restaurant quality pie, tangy and sweet and lovely light meringue. Consider seconds a given.

Lemon meringue pie

crust:

1 cup flour

1/8 teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons margarine, cold

2 to 3 tablespoons cold water

filling:

1 1/4 cups sugar

1/3 cup cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 cups water

4 egg yolks, beaten

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice

3 tablespoons margarine

2 teaspoons freshly grated lemon zest

meringue:

4 egg whites

1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

1/2 cup sugar

Heat oven to 425 degrees F. Combine flour and salt in large bowl; cut in margarine with fork until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in enough water with fork just until flour is moistened. Shape into ball; flatten slightly.

Roll out ball of dough on lightly floured surface into a 12″ circle. Fold into quarters and place dough into a 9″ pie pan; unfold, pressing firmly against bottom and sides. Trim crust to 1/2″ from edge of pan; crimp edge. Prick bottom and sides of crust with fork. Bake for 8 – 10 minutes until lightly browned. Cool and set aside.

Reduce oven to 325 degrees F. Meanwhile, combine sugar, cornstarch, and salt in 2 quart saucepan. Gradually stir in water. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a full boil (7 -9 minutes). Boil 1 minute. Gradually stir 1/2 cup of the sugar mixture into the beaten egg yolks with a wire whisk. Gradually stir egg mixture into remaining hot mixture. Continue cooking, stirring constantly, until mixture is thickened (2 minutes). Whisk in lemon juice, margarine, and zest. Remove from heat; set aside.

Beat egg whites and cream of tartar in a large bowl at high speed until foamy. Continue beating, gradually adding 1/2 cup sugar, until stiff peaks form and mixture is glossy (3-4 minutes). Pour hot filling into baked pie shell. Carefully spread meringue over hot filling, completely sealing to edge of crust and mounding slightly in center.

Bake for 25 – 30 minutes or until meringue is lightly browned. Cool at room temperature for 1 – 2 hours, then refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving. Store refrigerated. Makes 6 – 8 servings.

Breakfast crostini

Big fan here of breakfast for dinner. I found this recipe on Eggs On Sunday blog. Perfect dinner tonight – we each had two. This recipe is modified from the original.

Breakfast crostini with poached egg, wilted spinach, and bacon

4 slices of crusty bread – ciabatta, sourdough, multigrain – you choose

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

pinch of crushed red pepper

2 teaspoons minced fresh herbs – your choice (I had thyme handy)

6 slices of turkey bacon

2 small shallots, minced

4 big handfuls of baby spinach

4 large eggs

1 tablespoon white vinegar

coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

grated soy parmesan

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Prep all your ingredients before your start.

Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in small saucepan over medium-high heat with the garlic, crushed red pepper and herbs until the garlic starts to sizzle. Saute about 30 seconds then remove from heat. Place the slices of bread on a sheet pan and brush them on top with this oil. Bake in oven for about 10 minutes, til they start to turn golden around the edges. Remove pan from oven and turn off oven.

While bread is browning, saute your bacon over medium-high heat until nicely browned. Set aside. In same skillet, with the remaining tablespoon olive oil, saute the shallot until it starts to brown. Then add the spinach along with pinch of salt and pepper and saute until spinach is bright green and wilted. Remove from heat.

Assemble the crostini: Lay two slices of bacon criss-cross across each slice of bread. Using a slotted spoon, divide the sauteed spinach between the crostini, on top of the bacon. Place baking sheet in the still warm oven, to keep warm.

Poach the eggs: Fill a skillet with 2-3″ of water and 1 tablespoon of vinegar. Bring to a simmer, covered. While it’s coming to a simmer, crack each egg into its own little cup, making sure the yolks stay intact. When the water is simmering, turn down heat so it’s barely bubbling and lower each egg into the water, one at a time. Simmer the eggs, uncovered, for about 3 minutes.

Place crostini on a plate. When the eggs are done, remove them from the water with a slotted spoon and carefully place them on top of the spinach. Top with coarse salt, freshly ground pepper, and a little soy parmesan. Makes 2 – 4 servings.

Thai Pineapple Fried Rice, with Chicken

Inspiration courtesy of the wonderfully delicious Closet Cooking blog, I decided to improvise a little and try this tasty looking dish out. I used cooked chicken instead of shrimp, and hadn’t realized that I was totally out of cashews, so I subbed sliced almonds instead. The spicy next to the tangy and sweet all worked very well together, and this meal was enjoyed – every single bite.

Thai pineapple fried rice, with chicken

1 tablespoon canola oil

2 shallots, sliced

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1 chili, chopped

1 red pepper, diced

1 egg, lightly beaten

3 tablespoons chicken broth

1 tablespoon fish sauce

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon curry powder

1 heaping teaspoon sugar

1/2 cup roasted cashews, or sliced almonds

2 cups cooked rice (I used brown)

1 cup fresh pineapple, cut into bite-sized pieces

1 cup cooked chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces

1/4 cup frozen peas

1/4 cup currants

2 green onions, sliced

1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

Have all your ingredients ready to use. Heat the oil in a pan. Add the shallots, garlic, chili, and red pepper. Stir fry until fragrant, about 1 minutes.

Add the egg and stir fry for a minute. Add the broth, fish sauce, soy sauce, curry powder, and sugar, and stir fry.

Add the nuts and stir fry for half a minute. Add the rice, and stir fry for a few minutes. Add the pineapple, shrimp, peas, and raisins. Stir fry to mix them in.

Remove from heat and serve garnished with the green onions and cilantro. Makes 4 servings.

Pasta with vodka sauce

With lactose intolerance, you can never order pasta with vodka sauce in restaurants. But making it at home is another story. Chef John at Foodwishes.com provided the recipe and the video, and I provided my own little modifications. It came out delicious.

Pasta with vodka sauce

1 14-ounce box Barilla multigrain pasta (I used spaghetti)

1 tablespoon olive oil

4 ounces chopped turkey bacon

1 small sprig fresh rosemary, whole1/2 cup vodka

1/2 cup nondairy creamer

3 cups prepared marinara sauce

3/4 cup water

salt and pepper, to taste

1/2 cup grated soy parmesan

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, and saute bacon til browned. Carefully add the vodka and rosemary. Cook and stir over high heat until vodka reduced to about 2 tablespoons. Add the creamer, salt and pepper. Stir and cook until it thickens up a little, about 5 minutes. Then add the marinara sauce and the water – simmer for about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, boil pasta according to package instructions, drain. Return to pot, add the sauce and stir. Let it relax for about 5 minutes, lidded. Serve sprinkled with the soy parmesan. Makes 4 servings.

Carrot macaroni and “cheese”

Food&Wine suggested it, and it sounded like a good idea. It was great. Adding the pureed carrots really lightened the dish, and made it less stuffing. The carrots also imparted a lovely color. Instead of real cheese, I used soy cheese from Trader Joe’s. I thought I had elbow macaroni in the pantry, but I was wrong. Instead I used some thin egg noodles I had, and I loved the results. It was perfect with grape tomatoes on the side.

Carrot macaroni and “cheese”

3/4 pound carrots, peeled and thinly sliced

juice of 1 navel orange

salt

3 cups penne rigate (9 ounces) (or any other pasta you have handy will do, too)

3 ounces shredded soy cheese (1 1/2 cups)

1 tablespoon chopped tarragon

freshly ground pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In medium saucepan, combine the carrots with the juice and 1/4 cup water. Season with salt and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer over medium heat until the carrots are very soft, about 30 minutes. Transfer the carrots and liquid to a blender and puree until very smooth.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta until al dente. Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of the cooking water.

Return the pasta to the pot. Add the reserved water and the carrot puree and cook over moderate heat, stirring frequently, until the pasta is coated with a thickened sauce, about 5 minutes. Stir in 3/4 of the cheese and cook, stirring, until very creamy, about 2 – 3 minutes longer. Stir in the tarragon and season with salt and pepper.

Transfer the pasta to a medium baking dish (sprayed) and top with remaining cheese. Bake until the cheese is melted and lightly browned, about 20 – 25 minutes. Makes 4 – 6 servings.

Dig in to Presto Pasta Nights!

Pots and Plots blog is the host of this week’s Presto Pasta Nights. I can’t look at any of these yummy pasta dishes without fighting the urge to try everything there. Get your munch on and check it out.