With both fall and a park just around the corner, what better way to take advantage of the waning daylight hours than with a picnic?  This recipe, which I modified from an old Bon Appétit recipe is a simple yet unique way to spice up your usual chicken salad.  It’s perfect for a picnic because Tahini, unlike mayo, doesn’t immediately spoil when out of the fridge.  For those that aren’t familiar with Tahini, it’s sesame seed paste (think sesame peanut butter) and is generally found in hummus.  So, if you’ve recently experimented with homemade hummus, this is a perfect way to put all that leftover Tahini to good use.  Additionally, since there isn’t any cheese or dairy in this recipe, the yogurt and feta dip is a nice compliment to the sandwiches and can be used to make avocado, sprout, and feta pitas the next day. 

 

Katy and I originally made this recipe for an anniversary party we catered.  While it made for a pretty and easily assembled appetizer, the amount of prep work involved in deboning and shredding 20 chickens was an experience I am ok never to repeat.  One chicken, however, is a breeze in comparison! 

 

Chicken Tahini Pita Pockets

Adapted from Bon Appétit.  Serves 4.

 

• 1 large garlic cloves
• ½ cup tahini (sesame seed paste)
• 1/6 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
• 1/4 cup water
• ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 cups shredded skinned cooked chicken (from one 2-pound roast chicken)
• 1/4 cup pine nuts, lightly toasted
• 1 avocado (sliced)
• ½ cup bean sprouts
• 4 pita pockets

 

In a food processor, mince the garlic.  Add tahini, lemon juice, lemon peel, and water and blend until smooth.  In a large bowl, mix chicken with sauce, cilantro, and pine nuts and season to taste with salt and pepper. 

 

Halve pitas and stuff with chicken salad, avocado, and sprouts.  Picnic time!

 

NOTE: The original recipe calls to top a mini pita with the chicken salad and serve as an appetizer.  I added the avocado and bean sprouts to give it more of a sandwich feel; they’re optional. 

 

Greek Yogurt & Feta Crudités

• 1 cup herbed feta cheese
• 1 cup Greek yogurt
• Juice of 1 lemon
• Salt & pepper
• 1 cucumber (sliced)
• 1 red pepper (sliced)
• Pita chips

 

Combine first four ingredients and serve with cucumber, red pepper, and pita chips!

 

Migas are kind of like chilaquiles with eggs.  For those of you that don’t know, chilaquiles are a Mexican tortilla casserole of sorts.  I’ll make mine, basically chicken, tortillas, and pico, and provide you with the recipe soon.  Speaking of chicken, that might be an excellent addition to the migas.  There’s just something about chicken and eggs… I wonder if they figured out which came first?

 

Anyway, if you’re like me and have restless Sunday syndrome, I always wake up early and get bored waiting for everyone else to stir, why don’t you try making brunch for your friends!  There’s nothing like some cooking to keep you busy in the wee hours of the morning when only the unfortunate souls like me are up and at ‘em and everyone will thank you for it!

 

For Migas (My Way):

Serves 6.

 

• ½ cup peanut oil?
• 8 pitas
• 1 yellow onion (chopped)
• 1 bunch grilled asparagus (I used half green and half white)
• 12 large eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 6 oz goat cheese?
• ¼ cup radishes (chopped)
• ¼ cup parsley (chopped)
• 1 t dried oregano
• S&P

 

Slice three of the pitas in half to form two discs.  Spray with oil and sprinkle with salt, pepper, & oregano.  Bake on a cookie sheet at 425 degrees for 10 minutes or until crisp.  Set aside to use as a base for the eggs.

 

Heat peanut oil over high; you can test when it’s ready by sprinkling a drop of water to see if it sizzles.  Cut the other half of the pitas into strips and fry in batches until crisp.  Remove to paper towel to drain excess oil. 

 

Whisk eggs with milk and S&P in a medium bowl until combined.  Set aside.

 

In remaining oil, sauté onions until soft about 5 minutes.  Add asparagus.  Pour in eggs and crumbled goat cheese.  Let sit for about a minute until the bottom starts to cook and then scramble gently every minute or so until cooked through. 

 

 

For Tzatziki:

Courtesy of the Barefoot Contessa.

 

• 1 pint Greek yogurt (I used 2%)
• 1 seedless cucumber
• 1 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 tablespoon Champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (1 lemon)
• 1 tablespoon good olive oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh dill (I used dried)
• Pinch freshly ground black pepper

 

Grate the cucumber and toss it with 1 tablespoon of kosher salt; place it in a sieve, and let drain.  Transfer the yogurt to a large bowl. Squeeze as much liquid from the cucumber as you can and add the cucumber to the yogurt. Mix in the sour cream, vinegar, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, dill, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper. You can serve it immediately, but it’s quite a lot better if you allow the tzatziki to sit in the refrigerator for a few hours for the flavors to blend. I tasted the before and after and it actually made a world of difference! 

 

Top baked pitas with eggs and garnish with chopped parsley, radishes, and tzatziki sauce. 

  

NOTE:  I drenched some chopped tomato and leftover radish in the tzatziki sauce for a side dish the night after and it was fantastic!

TGI eggplant season!  I know some aren’t so enthused, but I am a huge fan of the big Barney-esque FRUIT, more specifically aubergine, which also comes in white and green varieties.  I am generally questioned upon the purchase of eggplants, “What are you going to make with those?” they ask.  Well, what can’t you make?  Grill them, fry them, dice & sauté, puree, or… make caponata!

 

Caponata is a Sicilian dip with a complex sweet yet spicy twang.  Eggplant seems to be very popular in Sicilian dishes – god bless Southern Italy.  Pasta alla Norma, eggplant parmesan, eggplant rollatini and involtini all originate in Sicily.  Perhaps this is because Italy is one of the top ten producers of eggplant, the majority coming from China & India.  If you’re a fan like me just google one of the aforementioned dishes and watch for a soon to come post on baba ghanoush – a Greek take on eggplant dip. 

 

NOTE:  If you find yourself addicted it is no fault of your own.  Eggplant has a higher nicotine content than any other edible plant, hence the bitter flavor when raw!  While the bitterness can be removed by salting & rinsing or “degorging”, perhaps your nasty smoking habit can be eliminated by chips & caponata? 

 

 Caponata

 

• 2 T extra virgin olive oil
• ½ medium yellow (diced)
• ½ large eggplant (diced)
• 2 cloves garlic (sliced)
• 1 14 oz can diced tomatoes with juice
• 3 T red wine vinegar
• 1 T Italian Seasoning
• 1/3 c fresh basil (sliced)
• ¼ c raisins
• 2 T capers (drained)
• S&P to taste
• ¼ c pine nuts (toasted)

 

Sauté the onion in the olive oil until soft, about 5 minutes.  Add the eggplant and garlic and cook for another 5 minutes.  Mix in tomatoes, vinegar and seasonings and simmer covered for 10 minutes.  Mix in raisins and capers.  Top with toasted pine nuts and serve with pita chips or on toasted garlic toasts.  This would also be a good salsa on chicken or as a light pasta sauce.