Welk Resort Grilled Salad

DEAR SOS: Could you possibly obtain the recipe for the grilled vegetable salad served on Thanksgiving Day at the Lawrence Welk Resort Center in Escondido? It’s truly an exceptional salad.

CHRIS SMITH Aliso Viejo

DEAR CHRIS: What a satisfying salad to keep in mind for a buffet party. You can make the vegetables up to three days ahead of serving.

Lawrence Welk Resort’s Grilled Vegetable Salad

Active Work Time: 30 minutes * Total Preparation Time: 1 hour plus 30 minutes chilling

VINAIGRETTE

1/2 teaspoon crushed dried thyme

1 teaspoon crushed dried basil

1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary, crumbled

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

1 cup oil

Combine the thyme, basil, rosemary and vinegar in a bowl or jar. Slowly beat in the oil to blend well. Makes 1 1/2 cups.

SALAD

1/2 cup olive oil

1 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed

1 teaspoon dried basil, crushed

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 zucchini

1 (1-pound) piece banana squash

1/2 eggplant

1 red onion

1 red bell pepper

1 green bell pepper

Vinaigrette to taste

Heat the broiler.

Whisk together the oil, thyme, basil, oregano, garlic and black pepper.

Slice the zucchini, squash, eggplant and red onion into 3/4-inch-thick slices and place them on a broiling pan. Brush them with the marinade and broil until lightly browned, 2 minutes on each side. (You can also grill the vegetable slices over high heat 2 minutes a side; keep an eye on them so they don’t burn.)

Place the red and green peppers about 4 inches beneath the broiler and broil until their skin begins to blister, turning so all sides char, 12 to 15 minutes. Place the peppers in a resealable plastic bag to steam 10 minutes, then peel them when they’re cool enough to handle.

Dice the zucchini, squash, eggplant, onion and bell peppers into 3/4-inch squares. Drizzle 1/2 cup of the Vinaigrette over the vegetables and toss to coat well. Chill the vegetables at least 30 minutes. Store any remaining Vinaigrette in refrigerator for future use in salads.

6 servings. Each serving: 255 calories; 5 mg sodium; 0 cholesterol; 23 grams fat; 12 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams protein; 2.31 grams fiber.

North African Chicken

DEAR SOS: I’d love the recipe for the delicious North African Chicken at Whiskey Creek Mountain Bistro in Mammoth Lakes.

KATHY RUDOLPH

Rancho Palos Verdes

DEAR KATHY: The recipe is not on the menu, since the restaurant changes its menu several times year. It may return in the future, according to corporate executive chef Jason Wright. This is a bit complex, so invite a few friends who love to cook to join you. If you’re on your own, preparing the braised chicken and mint chutney in advance will be helpful.

Achiote paste is available at Latino markets and at well-stocked supermarkets.

North African Chicken with Almond-Raisin Couscous and Mint Chutney

Active Work Time: 1 hour 45 minutes * Total Preparation Time: 3 hour 30 minutes

MINT CHUTNEY

1 tablespoon cumin seeds or 1 tablespoon cumin powder

1 small onion, chopped

2 serrano or jalapeno chiles, stemmed and roughly chopped

1/4 cup lemon juice

1 bunch cilantro, chopped

1 bunch mint, leaves only, chopped

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup cold water

If you’re using cumin seeds, spread them in a pie plate and toast them at 350 degrees until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Grind them in a spice grinder, then combine them in a blender with the onion, jalapeno, lemon juice, garlic, cilantro, mint and salt, adding enough water while whirring the blender to make a smooth, thick paste. (If using cumin powder, combine it in a blender with the other ingredients as directed.) Use as needed, storing the remainder in refrigerator for future use.

Makes 3/4 cup. Each 1 tablespoon serving:

14 calories; 106 mg sodium; 0 cholesterol; 0 fat; 3 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram protein; 0.96 gram fiber.

ALMOND-RAISIN COUSCOUS

3 1/2 cups chicken broth

1 shallot, minced or 1 tablespoon minced onion

1 teaspoon curry powder

1/3 cup dark raisins

1/3 cup golden raisins

2 1/2 cups couscous

1/3 cup slivered almonds

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 cup chopped green onions

Heat the oven to 350 degrees.

Combine the chicken broth, shallot, curry powder and dark and golden raisins in a saucepan. Bring to a boil.

Place the couscous in mixing bowl and cover it with the broth mixture. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and let it stand 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, spread the almonds on a baking sheet and toast them until lightly browned, 5 minutes.

Uncover the couscous and stir in the oil, almonds and green onions. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Makes 7 cups. Each 1-cup serving contains about:

210 calories; 794 mg sodium; 1 mg cholesterol; 7 grams fat; 29 grams carbohydrates; 10 grams protein; 2.41 grams fiber.

CHICKEN

3 (3 to 3 1/2-pound) chickens

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

1/2 cup oil

1 onion, chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

1 carrot, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces

5 cloves garlic, crushed

1 tablespoon curry powder

1 teaspoon coriander seeds

1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds

2 tablespoons achiote paste, broken into small pieces, optional

2 tablespoons tomato paste

2 cups red wine

1/2 cup honey

1/2 cup dried apricots, cut into quarters, divided

1 sprig fresh thyme

1 bay leaf

1 cinnamon stick, broken into several pieces

1/2 cup green olives, pitted, divided

Dash saffron threads

1 1/4 cups chicken broth

Cold water

1/4 cup dark raisins

1/4 cup golden raisins

Almond-Raisin Couscous

Mint Chutney

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Split the chickens into half to make 6 halves. Remove the back bones.

Mix the flour with the salt and pepper in a shallow plate. Dredge the chicken in the flour mixture to coat it well, then shake off any excess flour.

Heat the oil over high heat in a deep roasting pan. Fry the chicken in a single layer, skin side down, being careful to avoid oil splatters. Reduce the heat to medium and cook until the chicken is golden brown on one side, 8 minutes. Turn and brown the other side, 8 minutes. Do this in batches, if necessary.

Remove the chicken from the pan and discard all but 2 tablespoons of oil. Add the onion, celery, carrot and garlic and cook until the vegetables are browned and slightly soft, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Add the curry powder, coriander, cumin, achiote paste and tomato paste and cook until the spices become fragrant, about 3 minutes.

Add the red wine, scraping the bottom of the pan to remove any brown bits. Continue to cook until wine is reduced by half, about 5 minutes.

Add the honey, 1/4 cup of the apricots, the thyme, bay leaf, cinnamon stick, 1/4 cup olives and the saffron. Place the chicken, skin side up, over the vegetables in the pan and press down to nestle among the vegetables. Add the chicken stock and enough cold water to just cover the chicken.

Bring the liquid to a boil over high heat. Cover the pan with foil and bake the chicken 1 hour. Remove the foil and continue cooking until the chicken is golden brown and the liquid has been reduced by half, another 30 minutes.

Remove the chicken, cover it with foil and keep warm.

Strain the braising liquid into a smaller saucepan. Add the remaining 1/4 cup apricots, 1/4 cup olives and dark and golden raisins to the strained liquid. Bring the liquid to a boil and simmer until the sauce is thick enough to coat a metal spoon, 30 minutes.

To serve, spoon 1 cup of Almond-Raisin Couscous into the center of a plate. Top it with a chicken half. (Some of the chicken may fall apart into pieces, but that’s OK.) Spoon 1 to 2 tablespoons of Mint Chutney on top and around the chicken.

6 servings. Each serving of chicken with 1 cup Almond-Raisin Couscous and 1 tablespoon Mint Chutney:

1,316 calories; 2,000 mg sodium; 262 mg cholesterol; 71 grams fat; 95 grams carbohydrates; 81 grams protein; 6.37 grams fiber.