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Business & Tech

Pleasing the Palate

There are some phenomenal foods out here. And when you mix the sweet with the sour, the fried with the sauteed, the endless varieties of vegetables with rices, gravies and spices, great things can happen. Join us for fun and good fixins' in the kitchen.

A palate is a funny thing. Mine is different than yours. Or maybe not.  A meal you think is awesome may not resonate the same for someone else. You make a wonderful stew but your son won’t eat it. A dish I think is scrumptious, my daughter won’t touch. I love scallions but my neighbor says they’re horrid. Some of us adore pickles, onions, garlic and lemons and yet we know those who just as soon do without all of it.

 That said, Pleasing the Palate will offer a variety of meals to please as many palates as possible. Sandwiches, stews, salads, steak, chicken, soups and more…all with a kick. We will feature the gravies and the sauces as well the tools to cook them. We’ll share cookbooks of old and review new ones as well. We’ll talk about kitchens and cookware, dishes and dinnerware and give you great ideas how to bring it all together – at the table of course. Comments? Questions? Ideas? Needless to say, we want and welcome your two cents.

 

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This week, let’s keep in light and bring in the summer season with Charming Chicken Salad. Buy your rolls fresh from a bakery, Emerald’s or Bread and Chocolate are both good bets and both located on Whitney Avenue, and then scoop out a bit of the inside to make room for a heaping helping of salad.

 

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Charming Chicken Salad on Baguette Roll

The trick to extraordinary chicken salad is to keep it simple. If your chicken is seasoned and marinated for at least an hour, the few add-in condiments will be an enhancement and won’t dominate the flavor. This is a great summer dish, light, flavorful and easy to make. Have it for lunch, dinner or serve to friends for an early evening gathering. I use sturdy rolls that will withstand the weight of the chicken which is one of the heavier salads. A combination of grated red cabbage, sliced baby cukes wit h a spray of balsamic vinegar and olive oil drops make a complementary side dish.

 First:

marinate 3 chicken breast (bone in) with salt/pepper and Italian dressing for 1-2 hours in frig. Poke holds in chicken  for better seasoning penetraton.

To Have:

2 eggs

3 -4  tblsps miracle whip

1 bay leaf

½ tsp celery seeds

1/2 scallion chopped

1 tsp grated carrots

To Do:

boil eggs hard

immediately remove hot yolk and cream with miracle whip until smooth (important)

add celery seeds

add scallions

(set aside in frig)

poach  (don't boil) chicken in covered sauce pan with bay leaf for 30-40 minutes

when done, cool while placed on cutting board, cut into small uneven pieces

Remove mixture from frig and stir in with chicken in  med-size bowl

mix in grated carrots for texture and color. For crunch and a memoraable presentation, add tortilla scoops to the dish. 

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