I enjoy cool noodle salads that are unashamedly seasoned. The “Thai Chicken and Noodle Salad,” from the May 2008 issue of Everyday Food, includes a fun collection of ingredients, which I managed to customize even further. I chose to mix in bean sprouts, peanuts, chocolate-mint, and garlic scapes into this salad. I marinated the chicken breast slices in the refrigerator for 3 1/2 hours.
The “Spicy Asian Dressing” was also fun to make. I used anchovy paste from a Crown Prince tube and more scapes instead of scallions. My noodle was Eden Bifun wheat-free pasta: made of 100% rice, with a nice, light texture. The flavors of mint, basil, and garlic combine to make a pleasant salad that is not too spicy.
I had to try the “Raw Snap Pea Salad,” also from the May 2008 issue of Everyday Food (recipe below), when I saw these beautiful peas available in my early Summer Food Coop, and realized that I could eat them raw. You should do the same when you find these beans available. This is the perfectly green side dish.
Everyday Food, May 2008
Serves 4
RECIPES: the noodle salad will bend to your seasoning whims; the snap peas need little to shine
PREP TIMES: save a few hours to marinate your chicken, but cook your noodles in 2 minutes; snap peas need a few minutes to soak
TASTES: light noodles benefit from bright herb flavors; snap peas give a green punch
Next time, let’s try another recipe from this same magazine: “Chicken-Sausage and Asparagus Sauté Over Cheese Grits,” (recipe below), from the May 2008 issue of Everyday Food. Return to my site on Saturday, July 26, to witness my results.
Chicken-Sausage and Asparagus Sauté Over Cheese Grits
Everyday Food, May 2008
Serves 4
4 Tbsp. olive oil
4 precooked chicken sausages, thinly sliced on the diagonal
4 red onions, halved and thinly sliced
2 bunches asparagus, tough ends removed, cut into 1-inch lengths
4 tsp. fresh thyme
4 tsp. lemon juice
coarse salt and ground pepper
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1/2 cup crumbled fresh goat cheese
Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high. Cook sausage and onions until browned, tossing occasionally, 1 to 2 minutes; transfer to a plate. Reduce heat to medium. Cook onion until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add asparagus, thyme, and 1 1/3 cups water. Cover, and steam until asparagus is just tender and water has evaporated, about 6 minutes. Add sausage and lemon juice; toss. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat.
In a small saucepan, bring 4 cups salted water to a boil; gradually whisk in grits. Reduce heat to low; cook, stirring frequently, until thickened, about 6 minutes. Stir in cheese; season with salt and pepper. Serve sausage and asparagus over grits.
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