The Whole Chicken Salad

DEAR SOS: I recently had a wonderful chicken salad at Citrus restaurant in Hollywood. Would you please get the recipe for the dressing? It was so good.

--CLAIRE

DEAR CLAIRE: How about the entire recipe, which comes from chef Michel Richard’s cookbook, “Home Cooking with a French Accent” (Morrow, 1993).

CITRUS CHICKEN SALAD

VINAIGRETTE

3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

6 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon minced shallots

2 tablespoons minced chives or green onions

2 tablespoons fresh minced tarragon

Salt, pepper

SALAD

4 large chicken breast halves, boned, skinned, trimmed and patted dry

Olive oil

1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary, or 1 teaspoon dried, crumbled

2 tablespoons minced fresh thyme, or 2 teaspoons dried, crumbled

2 large cloves garlic, minced

Salt, pepper

1 pound yellow or green string beans, snapped

5 to 6 cups bite-size mixed greens

2 tablespoons chopped chives

12 sprigs tarragon (optional)

Curly endive and baby lettuce enhance the presentation of this recipe, as does using haricots verts.

VINAIGRETTE

Mix vinegar and mustard in small bowl. Whisk in oil in slow, steady, thin stream. Stir in shallots, chives and tarragon. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside at room temperature.

SALAD

Lightly pound chicken breasts between 2 pieces of plastic wrap with mallet until of equal thickness. Place each breast on large piece of plastic wrap. Rub both sides with olive oil and sprinkle with rosemary, thyme, garlic and salt and pepper to taste. Wrap in plastic. Refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight. Bring to room temperature before cooking.

Steam beans until just tender, about 6 minutes. Drain and set aside.

Cut beans in half diagonally. Combine 1/4 of beans and mixed greens in large bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Gently toss with about 3/4 of Vinaigrette, just enough to coat well. Divide among four large plates.

Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken breasts. Place smaller skillet over chicken, pressing to flatten. Cook 3 minutes. Carefully turn breasts with spatula, weight again with smaller skillet and cook until done, about 3 minutes longer. Brush both sides of chicken with remaining Vinaigrette.

Slice breasts diagonally into four or five pieces. Arrange pieces over salad. Arrange remaining green beans and chives on top. Garnish with tarragon sprigs.

4 servings. Each serving:

574 calories; 297 mg sodium; 87 mg cholesterol; 47 grams fat; 7 grams carbohydrates; 36 grams protein; 1.21 grams fiber.

Back to Butterscotch

DEAR SOS: Many years ago you printed a recipe for Butterscotch Cream Pudding. Any chance of a replay? I especially like pouring it over poppy seed cake or yellow cake.

--MARCI

DEAR MARCI: You certainly know how to live. Can’t wait to try it.

BUTTERSCOTCH CREAM PUDDING

1 1/2 cups brown sugar, lightly packed

1/2 cup flour

Salt

3 cups milk

3 egg yolks, slightly beaten

3 tablespoons butter

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Whipped cream (optional)

Mix sugar, flour and salt in top of double boiler. Gradually stir in milk and egg yolks. Cook and stir over boiling water until mixture thickens. Cover pan, reduce heat and cook 10 minutes longer without boiling. Remove from heat and stir in butter and vanilla. Pour into serving dishes and chill. Top with whipped cream, if desired.

6 to 8 servings. Each of 8 servings without whipped cream:

287 calories; 142 mg sodium; 121 mg cholesterol; 8 grams fat; 50 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams protein; 0.02 gram fiber.

T.C.’s Tamale Pie

DEAR SOS: Many years ago, you printed a wonderful recipe for Tamale Pie Casserole made with beef, olives, tomatoes and cornmeal crust. It was precooked on the stove. Do you have the recipe?

--MRS. T.C.

DEAR MRS. T.C.: Is this it?

TAMALE PIE CASSEROLE

1/2 pound ground pork sausage

1 pound lean ground beef

1 clove garlic, minced

1 cup chopped onion

2 cups sliced celery

1 (28-ounce) can tomatoes

2 cups canned whole kernel corn

Salt

2 teaspoons chili powder

1/2 cup cornmeal

1 1/2 cups pitted ripe olives

1 1/2 cups shredded Jack or American cheese

Cook sausage until lightly browned, stirring to keep crumbly. Pour off excess fat, add beef and cook and stir until browned. Stir in garlic, onion and celery and cook until vegetables are tender but not browned. Stir in tomatoes, corn, salt and chili powder and simmer about 15 minutes. Slowly stir in cornmeal and cook until thickened. Stir in olives. Turn into greased 2-quart casserole and top with cheese. Bake at 350 degrees 45 minutes.

Makes 8 servings. Each serving:

425 calories; 653 mg sodium; 73 mg cholesterol; 29 grams fat; 22 grams carbohydrates; 20 grams protein; 1.53 grams fiber.

Our Daily Zucchini

Dear SOS: Please print the recipe for Zucchini Pineapple Bread.

--Mary

Dear Mary: Gladly.

ZUCCHINI PINEAPPLE BREAD

3 eggs

1 cup oil

2 cups sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 cups coarsely shredded zucchini

1 (8-ounce) can crushed pineapple, well-drained

3 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking power

1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

3/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1 cup finely chopped nuts or mixture of chopped nuts and currants (optional)

Beat eggs lightly with mixer. Add oil, sugar and vanilla. Continue beating until thick and foamy. Stir in zucchini and pineapple.

Combine flour, baking soda, salt, baking power, cinnamon, nutmag, nuts and currants, if desired, in another bowl. Stir gently into zucchini mixture until just blended.

Divide batter equally between 2 greased and floured 9x5-inch loaf pans. Bake at 350 degrees until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Cool in pans 1 minute. Turn out onto wire racks to cool thoroughly.

12 to 16 servings. Each of 16 servings, without nuts:

323 calories; 174 mg sodium; 40 mg cholesterol; 15 grams fat; 45 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams protein; 0.20 gram fiber.

* Handpainted fruit table and plates, above, from Pallets of Plates in South Pasadena.