Category Archives: Friends Food Fun

Friends Food Fun

Ep – 22 Seared Scallops with White Beans and Spinach!

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httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dlb3Aqvan0k

She’s baaaaaaaaack!!! Yes indeed, kids, the aliens sent Helenka back to me / us / the planet (more trouble than it was worth keeping her, I heard). See, there IS a reason why I had her bound in that chair! [Editor sputters, “What—?!?!?”]

Once again, I took some creative leeway and had Helenka “beam” in, courtesy of Stargate SG1 (à la Asgard) sound effects (no infringement intended, MGM; it’s all in good fun!). Personally, it was really fun to create just using limited resources (namely my skills and software ). When it was finished, I kept playing that spot where she “appears” over and over and over (please forgive my brief obsession but I am so proud of how it worked out!).

Speaking of things working out, this recipe is a keeper. With Helenka’s return, I thought I would do something extra special and what could be more special than scallops ? Well, I am sure there are lots more things extra special but this does it for us – hehe [Editor interjects, and in front of a camera, lol].

I was intrigued by the white beans and spinach that accompanied the seared scallops and I can say that my curiosity was fulfilled when the completed dish was presented for consumption.
At the time, I was thinking “peasant” dish and, as Helenka describes below, there are many cultures that use beans in their cooking. Believe you me, though I may have been thinking “peasant” which was not necessarily a bad thing, I had NO trouble finishing every last bite of dinner.

I also had a bit more to learn about locating good seafood. I thought I could just go to the seafood counter and purchase my “fresh” scallops which ended up being previously frozen (I was bummed, but ya learn in the end). We do have another seafood adventure later on for which I discovered where those elusive large scallops (that you see in all the fancy books and magazines) cluster.

We’re saving those details for another episode and corresponding blog 😉

Next week, I will be out of town on vacation where there will be no *gasp* Internet, phones or TV. I have good intentions of trying to release another episode and blog … but we shall see.

Up to this point, I have been able to post on schedule by working around my other adventures, but next week portends to be a difficult challenge due to the aforementioned nonexistent modern conveniences. [Editor’s note: He’s not kidding. I’ve been there twice. The only modern feature was electricity in the cabins! Woo-hoo!!! The chipmunks, raccoons and one obnoxious centipede ::shudders at the memory from the middle of the night:: were no-charge extras.]

I do hope that our viewers will forgive us if we do skip a week, but we will catch up by the following week (and there is much more to come including something new that will be premiering in September). [Editor’s saucy observation: oh, like new TV shows??? – Comment from B – “Back EDITOR Back” into that region where no punctuation exists (it’s like Editor hell – I think)]

Have a great rest of your week and let’s catch up real soon!

Enjoy!
B&H =:)

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Please note: We try and review the recipes in the cookbook; however, in an effort to respect copyright, we are not able to reproduce the actual printed recipes here. If you do have the book, please follow along with us!

Review: Seared Scallops White Beans Spinach

Notes from the Chef’s Sidekick (Helenka)

I’m baaaaaaaaack. Didja miss me? ::listens to the quiet interrupted by … cicadas::

But, wow! What an entrance. I thought it was really nice of those aliens to put me back on my throne … er … kitchen stool. [B interjects – mental, er, written note: we need stronger bindings.]

Okay, okay, I’ll be serious. After all, this is a very serious blog and show and we’re both so very, very, very serious. NOT!!! [B seconds the NOT!!!]

But, seriously, this was an exquisite dish. I don’t think I can come up with any better description, so I won’t even try.

Variations

I had a tough time trying to see how this recipe could be recreated with another source of protein substituted in place of the scallops. Frankly, I don’t think it can be done and I believe that’s a first for me. If I consider either shrimp or lobster (tail), the dish will remain eminently elegant, but the taste and texture of the replacements will not be in sync with the white beans and spinach. I cannot see any fish being used. Even if the taste may be closer to that of scallops, the texture won’t be. I briefly considered smoked fish (sable, etc.) but the oiliness which can provide a mouth-watering experience on its own would definitely not suit this dish. And, if I decided to go in the direction of raw fish, the texture would definitely be improved, but it would be an odd-tasting fusion (though I’m betting somebody somewhere is doing just such a thing).

I consider the scallop’s ability to retain its tenderness even after very careful cooking to be unique in the realm of seafood. Mind you, I’m also remembering very fondly the kaiseki dinners I used to enjoy along with the two other members (both Japanese) of Gourmet Academy (the Toronto edition). At one restaurant, the chef prepared an appetizer from raw scallops that we thought was out of this world. His next offering was a tiny salad that incorporated the muscle which had tethered the scallop to its shell. Now that was definitely out of this world.

Turning to chicken, beef or pork would move us further away from the desired outcome, so my verdict is that this dish would not be the same unless you use scallops. Brian mentioned the word “peasant” when talking about the inclusion of beans. Yes, it is quite true that beans have traditionally been a low-cost source of nutrition (protein). But there are many people around the world who eat beans for their unique properties (texture and a feeling of satiety from even a small portion). As well, beans can provide a neutral foundation for enticing spices. Or many lively or exotic ingredients: I’m thinking of another famous dish from the south of France, namely Cassoulet , with duck and sausage (yum), but there are other variations and combinations of savoury meats mentioned.

I personally wouldn’t call this “peasant” cooking, but it certainly falls into the category of “regional” cuisine, especially from Provence , also in the south of France. You can find loads of scallop recipes from Provence and there are certainly many dips that are made from white beans, but I believe this is the first recipe I’ve encountered that uses both ingredients. [You’ll have to forgive me if I stray off topic, but I also learned how popular sea urchins are in many seafood dishes from Provence, so I’m very impressed … and suddenly very hungry!]

It is truly a fabulous recipe. But, please, don’t take our word (or moans) for it. Make it yourselves. Ramp up the flavour with more garlic or by adding fresh herbs. See if using lime juice instead of lemon appeals to you. If you’re not keen on white beans, substitute crisp green ones (another standard in some Provençal dishes) … but I’d still recommend you give white beans a try. It’s not every day you can eat a dish that is both sensually luxurious and so down-to-earth.

Cooking time (duration): 60

Number of servings (yield): 2

Meal type: supper

Culinary tradition: USA (General)

My rating: 5 stars: ????? 1 review(s)

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Friends Food Fun

Ep – 21 A Trial of Two Quiches!

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httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pzIXYQajCLo

Hey, everyone! Well, I hope you are enjoying your summer. I know I am! The weather this summer has been fantastic (it’s really humid where we are, but I’m not complaining). Helenka and I have had two BBQs thus far (which I’m still in the process of editing, so they will be shown at a later date).

For this week’s episode I am unfortunately on my own as Helenka had to move her castle. So I took some creative leeway and cooked up a story about her being abducted by aliens, because how else would you explain why she was not around? 😉 Other than being foodies, we are sci-fi fans, too! Hey, it all fits … somehow.

Getting back to the show … using a recipe I found in the book as a guide, I made two quiches for this episode. The first was the original and the second an experiment where I replaced the ingredients before sampling them both to find out which was the better of the two. I also had some taste testers from an upcoming series I’m doing who gave me some additional feedback.

Keep in mind the book we are reviewing and learning from is based upon the idea of being able to cook better and healthier meals than those found in some American restaurants by using reduced fat substitutes such as turkey sausage along with artichoke hearts and feta cheese in their version of the quiche. My version may not be the healthiest or lowest in fat, but I can say that it did receive a slightly better review. I think the goat cheese had something to do with it; hmm, seems to be the magic ingredient … again. I also replaced the turkey sausage with Pancetta (Italian bacon) which I thought added a very nice flavour and complemented the artichoke hearts and goat cheese (chèvre).

This is not the first time I made a quiche and you shouldn’t be surprised to know there’s a story….

I remember the first time which was not a long time ago or in a galaxy far far away. I was making a spinach quiche for lunch as my sister and her boyfriend were coming over so that they could drive my other sister and me off to the airport (on our way to a brother/sister vacation).

I was a bit nervous as I thought it would be a hard thing to do. It was messy but not hard. I think I had a recipe to follow and also used one of those frozen pie crusts which come in handy if you are making a cheater pie (I’m saving this topic for another blog) or, as in this case, a quiche.

It would appear that there is a conspiracy going on with the size of these pie crusts and quiche recipes (so as to increase sales, me thinks) as they never seem to be the correct size nor have enough depth to be able to take in all the egg mixture. I ended up making two, with even extra left over. As it was my first, I was pleasantly surprised that it was very good and my guinea pigs … umm … family enjoyed it as well (experimenting is fun with them — the family — not guinea pigs).

Thinking I was a bit smarter this go round, I bought deep dish pie crusts and the conspiracy held true again (i.e., not deep enough or big enough for all the egg mixture). So for the second quiche, I got smart and cut down some of the milk but kept the same number of eggs (using double yolks – another experiment – instead of extra large eggs). It was weird to see … though the results were still yummy. The reduction of the milk didn’t hamper the taste or quality of the quiche. I’m getting the idea that quiche would be a hard type of dish to really screw up unless you started using weird ingredients – but, then again, if you like it who’s to say that it’s good or bad.

Why don’t you take a crack [Evil editor groans at the pun] at it and let us know if you’ve found a particular combination of flavours you liked. You never know: we may just recreate it on our show!

Thanks again for watching. Have yourselves a GREAT week and keep sending in your feedback. We love hearing from you!

Enjoy!

B&H =:)

Pictures below are of the two that I had made – very hard to tell the difference though the first two are my creation the last two are the book version (making me hungry just looking at them).

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Please note: We try and review the recipes in the cookbook; however, in an effort to respect copyright, we are not able to reproduce the actual printed recipes here. If you do have the book, please follow along with us!

Review: Quiche Two Ways

Notes from the Chef’s Sidekick (Helenka)

Helenka declined to critique the quiche offerings because of the physical stress and strain of moving her castle. However, she was extremely happy to have portions of them in the fridge to nourish her. Okay, that’s the official press-release reason. The real reason is that She. Was. Abducted. By. Aliens who also decided to coerce Brian to include them on the show in her place.

::sighs:: It’s tough when two little green guys made of plush can try to replace *moi*! There also appeared to be a ransom request of cookies. Well, ::huffs in indignation:: *moi* is most certainly upset as I gave Brian a fancy cookie gun from Williams-Sonoma absolute ages ago and to think that he would have used it to guarantee my freedom ,,, um, wait a minute. ::pauses to ponder:: Okay, fine. Everything’s okay. Especially as I’m out of their tiny, green clutches! Those two greedy l’il green guys weren’t satisfied with only asking for cookies, they wanted CAKE too by the end of the show – as well as demanding the rights to all episodes (in lolcat speak to boot)!!!

It’s too bad Brian didn’t turn the tables on them by asking the canonical alien question that always pops up in SF, namely, “Cake or death?” On the other hand, it was gratifying to see how I was missed. After all, with me you get scintillating colour commentary (and sparkly accessories in scarves and jewellery). But they just sat there and were … green!!! [Brian pipes in : Those evil creatures make a come back too! – but that’s another story for another day]

Number of servings (yield): 8

Meal type: supper

Culinary tradition: USA (General)

My rating:5 stars: ★★★★★

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Friends Food Fun

Ep – 20 Chinese Chicken Salad

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httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vCT4Gk11ZQ0
When the video starts to play click on the triangle to make a video quality change depending on your Internet speed (360P, 480P, 720P HD or now 1080P HD — our default is 720P HD).

I just love the salads in this book (hmm, have I said that before?? … NAH) so, as with the previous recipes, I was excited to try this one because I had never made anything like it before.

Looking for ingredients can be somewhat of a challenge, especially if they’re out of season [or, as the editor suggests, not common to where you live]; however, I didn’t think I would have this much fun looking for Napa Cabbage as I did. I always seemed to see it when shopping earlier and, of course, not when I really needed it. Isn’t that always the case – something can be found so easily when you are not looking for it.

In the end, I found it and in the nick of time too (I think I went to at least three stores over the few days prior to recording). Come to think of it, I don’t ever remember eating it before, so I was not really sure what it would taste like (as the book called for adding sugar to it, I thought it must be somewhat bitter). We really enjoyed the combination of ingredients including the Asian dressing that seemed to be quite the long laundry list of items (a little of this and a little of that – multiplied at least 5 times).

Although it was a delight to try, I’m not sure if I would recreate this salad again (though the Asian dressing does make a repeat appearance in a future show). This will have to be something for me to think about and – who knows – perhaps the right occasion will arrive for which I need such a salad as this. [Helenka is pouting and promises she’ll even make it all by herself because it was so yummy!]

Thanks again for reading and watching the show. We really do appreciate it. Have yourselves a great week and try something new, won’t you (perhaps you can tell us what it is and we might do an episode on it).

Enjoy!!
B&H =;)

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Ohhh Mandarins!

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Please note: We try and review the recipes in the cookbook; however, in an effort to respect copyright, we are not able to reproduce the actual printed recipes here. If you do have the book, please follow along with us!

Review: Chinese Chicken Salad

Notes from the Chef’s Sidekick (Helenka)

My mouth can still remember the most unusual taste sensation from this salad. One of the fun things about doing this show with Brian is that, if he misses the container when chopping or tossing and the ingredient falls on the counter, I snatch it and gobble it up. ::giggles:: I know … not at all ladylike! But, from a scientific point, I get these little opportunities to have a sneak-taste of individual ingredients and, this time, I learned something fascinating.

During this episode, Brian had just sprinkled sugar over napa cabbage and, yes, when he was tossing it, one lovely, crinkly piece tried to make a break for freedom. Not so fast, buddy. I was stunned to see how exquisite the cabbage tasted with sugar because the flavour burst on my tongue. Considering the fact that, by now, you should know I’m not exactly keen on sugar, I found this to be a revelation. And want to repeat the experience as often as possible. Yes, even if I have to make it from scratch by myself.

::wanders back from WikiLand:: Okay, so I just learned me some stuff. Such as the fact that cabbage normally has a sharp or bitter taste and that it is only through cooking that the sweetness is released. With my Polish background, it’s understandable that my most frequent experience of cabbage was in cabbage rolls where the leaves are steamed before being wrapped around the meat and rice filling and then cooked in tomato broth.

In a flash of scientific understanding, I said to myself ::listens for the familiar echo, “Self”:: the addition of sugar to raw cabbage is meant to compensate for or mask the naturally bold taste. And that’s why it makes sense to see why sugar is a customary ingredient when one follows a recipe for coleslaw. Gee, I love it when I learn something new about the chemistry of food! Look out, Ted Allen, I too can be a Food Detective!

Variations what Variations?

When it comes to variations for this salad, I wouldn’t change any of the ingredients. Wow! Is that a first for me? But there is one thing I would definitely change and that is to not heat the chicken in the microwave. I know, I know. This, coming from Ms. Microwave of 1970-something (when I purchased my first one), means that I am able to choose the longer method of cooking (even when inconvenient) if it produces superior results. The chicken needed to be reheated on the stovetop, perhaps in a lidded saucepan with a titch of water. Then it would have remained hotter longer and provided even more of a delightful contrast in temperature to the other ingredients.

So … if I’m not going to imagine any variations to share with you, I think I’ll wander down memory lane and talk about a very special birthday party (mine, natch). It must have been the late 70s or early 80s and I was in love. [Yes, this is relevant.] Even though the love was returned, we actually never said those words. But we showed each other through small kindnesses and especially with food. My gifts usually involved reservations at fancy restaurants (I believe Truffles was one); and the present I received one year was an amazing home-made dinner that started off with the most outrageously jumbo shrimp served with cocktail sauce. Then there was an authentic caesar salad made with all the bells’n’whistles (garlic-rubbed wooden bowl, anchovies, raw egg, etc.). [I can’t remember what the main course or dessert were (well, after all, it was a long, long, loooong time ago), but I wore a satin fuschia gown that evening. Do I get bonus points for style?]

I still hold dear in my heart the care, attention and artistry of seeing it prepared before me and, especially, for me. And that is why I can be so emphatic in saying that this recipe would be spectacular when prepared in front of guests, especially when the cool Asian dressing is poured over the freshly toasted sliced almonds. Now that’s SIZZLE!!!

Cooking time (duration): 60

Number of servings (yield): 4

Meal type: supper

Culinary tradition: Chinese

My rating:5 stars: ★★★★★

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Friends Food Fun

Ep 19 – Egg and Ham on a Waffle

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httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYH_cDUUEXU

I don’t know why, but this recipe reminds me of Dr Zeus’s “Green Eggs and Ham” except here it’s eggs and ham on a waffle (nothing green here – go figure [Helenka interjects: But the parsley was green, so it’s still applicable]). I always get excited when we try breakfast meals for dinner (breakfast is one of my favourite meals of the day and, of course, it’s the most important [Helenka so agrees and cannot understand how people can start their days without proper fuel in their bodies]).

The recipe called for whole wheat waffles. However, without actually running all over the city looking for them (which I have done for other ingredients), I tried my best at my local supermarket that had whole wheat pancakes but not waffles, so we used Aunt Jemima plain waffles. I replaced the ham with smoked Wiltshire bacon rashers (quite delightful as Helenka says), pure Canadian maple syrup, and some old cheddar cheese (I used slices, then chopped them up). I also showed off a new gadget for eggs which keeps them nice and round in a frying pan: perfect for this recipe and also If you happen to want to make something my brother calls a Dave McMuffin (it’s his version of the fast food restaurant’s breakfast sandwich – though he uses a special cup in the microwave). I like collecting little gadgets and gizmos though sometimes I forget what they are for when I go rooting around my drawers or cupboards, so it’s a good idea to keep some clues around of what they are used for … just in case!

We really enjoyed the simplicity of this meal, so why don’t you try it and let us know how you made out or if you discovered a variation that we should try too!

Enjoy your week!
B&H =:)

Still 1

<Hmm I appear to have put her to sleep>

Please note: We try and review the recipes in the cookbook; however, in an effort to respect copyright, we are not able to reproduce the actual printed recipes here. If you do have the book, please follow along with us!

Review: Egg and Ham Waffles

Notes from the Chef’s Sidekick (Helenka)

Ooooooh, Brian and I just love-love-love having breakfast for dinner. Because what’s not to love? I was extremely happy that waffles were going to be a part of … um … dinner, especially after I woke up on camera (oops, eh). Why? Well, just around the corner from where I live, a waffle place, The Waffle Works , opened up last year at the lake-end “L” of a long building that I surmised had originally been a motel. [In fact, Brian probably didn’t know this but, in the olden days, I used to drive by all of the motels before they were torn down to erect the condo complex where he lives.] The restaurant itself boasts the original architecture and wall/ceiling design, so I believe it had once been a restaurant-cum-bar … you know, one of those racy establishments (and I’m not referring to a car race, either). [Okay, okay, by now you know I let my imagination get carried away … often!] What adds to the atmosphere is the orange overlay or curtains on ALL of the windows (though, yes, I do concede it was probably intended to soften the glare from the sun’s rays at sunrise (on the lake side) and sunset (on the street side) while still conveying warmth through the interior.

I went there first with John because he’s the one who actually saw the new sign and pointed it out to the blind old lady (meaning me) and then I dragged Brian over on one of our Thursdays when I didn’t feel like cooking anything. I love how they do waffles and cook the eggs with respect. I find it amusing to see how a food ingredient (the waffle, if you hadn’t guessed already) that leans to the sweet side is used as a foundation for eggs and ham or bacon (also blond hash browns) and then the savoury ingredients are drizzled with maple syrup. Oh, yum. Now that’s a juxtaposition of taste that still appeases a hungry tummy. Another selling point for the restaurant’s offering is the addition of fruit to the plate in the form of a crinkle cut kiwi half as well as berries, etc. There may have been a bit of whipped cream as well. ::lets mind wander to that special whipped-cream place::

One of my own idiosyncracies (I’m sure Brian will pipe in with, “One of oh-so-many”) is that I’ve never eaten waffles unless they’re accompanied by eggs and bacon, so I still have not tried some of the more unusual choices such as egg salad or chicken on waffles. Those just boggle my mind.

Brian used the cutest (I believe I said “adorable” twice and “cute” once on camera) gadgets to make perfectly round eggs, namely round – duh – metal egg forms into which he broke the eggs. Well, I figure that either surprising or impressing me gives him a bit of a giggle, although I am entirely sympathetic with his collecting gadgets but not having a clue later on. My problem isn’t that so much but is unique to me. I remember the function but not the name. My favourite and most-often forgotten tool name is “mezzaluna” (aka the rocking hand tool that consists of two rounded blades connected to a handle) which, of course, is for finely chopping herbs. But the name usually escapes me and I flail around, landing on the word “mandoline” which is far more dangerous for me to play with. My fingers are already short enough, thank you very much!

Variations

Though I don’t think I would go to the same extremes that one can order at The Waffle Works, it’s worth exploring at least a couple of variations. If one thinks of this as a variation on Eggs Benedict (where the English muffin is now a waffle), then one can proceed to play with the toppings over the eggs as well. So … smoked salmon, anybody, with a titch of sweet mustard (if you don’t happen to have Gravlax sauce in your fridge … as I do)? Creamed spinach with Monterey Jack to give it some zip? Crumbled ground beef with smoked Gouda? Also, I cannot overemphasize the difference choosing the right salt made. Opening the container of Salish Smoked Alder salt made us immediately think of BBQ season. [Our minds go to happy places a lot.] Even if you don’t have any varieties of salt, you can try to alter and/or enhance the basic flavours with spices or herbs (and I just thought of how delightful Tarragon is with eggs … though it might interfere with maple syrup). Once again, the fun is in using your imagination. And knowing that you can have this type of meal for breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner … any way you want it ! Also, take my word for it, more than worth waking up for!!!

Cooking time (duration): 60

Number of servings (yield): 2

Meal type: breakfast

Culinary tradition: USA (General)

My rating:5 stars: ★★★★★

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Friends Food Fun

Ep 18 – Grilled Chicken Salad

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httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uaQiVR_YL-k

When the video starts to play click on the triangle to make a video quality change depending on your Internet speed (360P, 480P, 720P HD or now 1080P HD — our default is 720P HD).

We found a salad that I think will become a real favourite (because I know I’ll be making it a lot) – so much so that we were bowled over by it. In fact, during a recent saladoff at work (kinda like a bakeoff but with salads instead), I made this for my competition dish. It did get a lot of compliments but, alas, I didn’t win. 🙁 [Sympathetic editor’s pat on the shoulder: “Well, you know you’re a winner every Thursday in my books, no matter what.”]

Here are some pics from that competition. The winning salad (the one with strawberries and candied walnuts) was really yummy. See if you can spot it.
I’m trying something new as the pics are posted via twitpic so I embeded the website event into this one (yes it is complicated I just hope everyone can see it). If not try this link twitpic.com/e/9mb

[iframe http://twitpic.com/e/9mb 640 700]

Lately, we have been finding multiple uses for rotisserie chicken using the current cookbook and this was yet another one of them. We will have more episodes featuring this yummy bird in the coming weeks. [Helenka claps her hands in glee.] Putting a great meal together using foods prepared fresh daily from the supermarket or your favourite warehouse club can be a real treat. Yes, I admit I’d love to make my own rotisserie chicken, but why not let them do all the work for you and then enjoy the benefits.

Goat cheese makes another guest appearance here and I’m thinking there is more to this cheese than meets the eye, especially when it comes to adding flavour. It’s now a favourite of mine and I like to have it around in my refrigerator … just in case. [Helenka approves wholeheartedly of this crucial contingency plan!]

Another ingredient that I don’t get to use all that often is dried cranberries. I didn’t really know where in the store to find them but, using some creative sleuthing skills (umm, walking up and down each aisle until I found them – lol, not really), I did manage to locate the proper ones (otherwise, gummy bears with added fruit juice would have had to suffice and I really doubt my sidekick would eat that, even if I made it a secret ingredient). [Sidekick sighs in relief that I didn’t have to be subjected to the horror. Besides, gummy bears are meant to be enjoyed all on their own. Oh, great. Now I have a craving for gummies.]

Cooking for myself before was already a real joy but, nowadays, I’m loving it even more as I am discovering there is a whole world of flavours out there that I never tried myself. It’s really got me thinking of how far I could take this adventure and, seeing as we gots to eat [Helenka asks, mock-incredulously, “We does?”], it can only get better from here.

Have yourselves a great week and enjoy!

B&H =:)

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Please note: We try and review the recipes in the cookbook; however, in an effort to respect copyright, we are not able to reproduce the actual printed recipes here. If you do have the book, please follow along with us!

Review: Grilled Chicken Salad

Notes from the Chef’s Sidekick (Helenka)

What do you get when you combine amazingly tender store-bought rotisserie chicken, sliced avocado, crumbled herbed goat cheese, chopped walnuts, dried cranberries, an exquisite mix of salad greens, as well as our added enhancements, namely halved sweet cocktail tomatoes (from Sapori) and sliced red onion? All moistened with a home-made honey-mustard vinaigrette? Uh-oh. I’m going to be using a particular word again. You guessed it: utter perfection. Seriously, I could not believe how incredible this salad was. Every bite Brian and I took of it gave us a different combination of ingredients on the fork. The most impressive thing about it was how well the goat cheese brought cohesion to the salad. In fact, its presence reduced the tartness of the mustard and red wine vinegar in the dressing. We also agreed that rotisserie chicken was the only way to go, because of the superior flavour (we surmised it could have been from a saline/brine bath prior to roasting). I can’t believe I nearly let this blog post be revealed without any nostalgia. But I just remembered because of what Brian wrote about wanting to make it himself. Hey, Brian, I used to make my own rotisserie chicken. At my old place on Prince Arthur, the stove/oven had an overhead rotisserie unit. And I used it a lot in the really, really old days (even before I met Brian). Of course, the taste was out-of-this-world with super-crispy skin and tender flesh. The only drawback was one of time because it took 30 minutes per pound. So … a three-pound chicken (which is not exactly huge) meant 90 minutes of going swirly-twirly (and that’s only my thumbs, lol). By the time the chicken was done cooking, I was usually too tired to eat. Also, washing out the drip pan was so not fun. But, still, I remember!

Variations

We found it rather confusing that The Book’s recipe did not contain sliced red onion, even though there were thin rings in the accompanying picture. [Yes, yes, I’m nitpicking about the stylists! You think that’s bad, you should see what grief we gave our fave department store one Christmas when they made major use of BLUE lights but, oh no, they didn’t have any to sell. Stylists, could you please be more consistent???] Also, Brian added the halved tomatoes to the salad as we especially enjoy the festive appearance of all that red amid the mixed greens. The other change that Brian made was to use an herbed goat cheese rather than a plain one. As the cheese had been removed from the fridge immediately prior to taping, it refused to crumble, so Brian chopped it up. While we were busy with another episode, the salad ended up waiting and mellowing (or, as Brian would call it, “festering”). The delay caused the inevitable softening of the cheese so that it combined extremely well with the very ripe avocado. [And, yes, the evil editor acknowledges and thanks Brian for showing her how to scoop an avocado half out of its shell.] The original recipe already contains several key components to crafting a successful salad: a protein, an avocado (which I think should always be in every salad, but I’m biased – as if you couldn’t tell), a cheese, chopped nuts, dried fruits, salad greens and a dressing. With some judicious planning and unrestrained imagination, there are many other ingredients that could be substituted. I can already see cold tofu cubes (for an alternative vegan source), avocado (again), Asiago cheese, slivered almonds, dried cherries, salad greens as well as julienned red cabbage and an Asian salad dressing of one’s own making. Just think of how many different types of salads you could invent! Because, as always, good food should be fun. Hmmmm. Where have I heard that before? Our verdict – when we weren’t moaning and comparing what combination was on our forks – was that this was a winner and should be made as often as possible! Also, it had been a dreadful day outside (with sudden cold downpours); but, inside, we felt as if summer was just around the corner. It’s pretty amazing when food can make such a huge improvement in mood. And I’m thrilled that it does have that power.

Cooking time (duration): 60

Number of servings (yield): 4

Meal type: supper

Culinary tradition: USA (General)

My rating:5 stars

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