RECIPES: Cobb Salad, Chicken Bisteeya and more

COBB SALAD

Serves 4.

From Lisa Carlson of Spoonriver in Minneapolis.

For vinaigrette:

• 1/2 c. sherry vinegar

• 1 shallot, roughly chopped

• 6 fresh basil leaves, torn

• 6 fresh tarragon leaves, torn

• 1 tsp. sugar

• Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

• 1 c. extra-virgin olive oil

For salad:

• 6 slices bacon

• 1 bunch asparagus, woody tips removed and discarded

• 2 ears fresh corn (if available), cobs shucked

• 1 pint cherry tomatoes, sliced in half

• 1 roasted chicken, skin removed and meat pulled from bones with a fork

• 1 shallot, thinly sliced

• 1 head romaine lettuce, finely chopped

• 3 tbsp. finely minced fresh herbs, such as tarragon, basil and thyme

• 2 tbsp. blue cheese, crumbled

• 2 hard-cooked eggs, peeled and sliced

• 1 avocado, peeled, pit removed and sliced

Directions

To make vinaigrette: In a food processor fitted with a metal blade, pulse together sherry vinegar, shallot, basil and tarragon leaves and sugar. Slowly drizzle in olive oil and process until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste and reserve.

To make salad: In a pan over medium heat, cook bacon until crisp. Remove bacon to a paper towel-lined plate. When bacon is cool, crumble and reserve.

Bring a medium size pot of water to boil over high heat. Blanch asparagus for 30 seconds, plunge cooked asparagus into a bowl of ice water to halt cooking, remove asparagus from water and drain dry. Cut asparagus into bite-size pieces.

Blanch corn in boiling water for 1 minute, plunge cooked corn into a bowl of ice water to halt cooking, remove corn from water, drain dry and carefully cut kernels from corn cob, reserving kernels.

In a large bowl, toss together chicken, herbs, bacon and half of vinaigrette. Add asparagus, corn kernels, tomatoes, shallot, lettuce and remaining vinaigrette and carefully toss. Arrange salad on a platter or on individual plates, garnish with blue cheese, hard-cooked eggs and avocado, and serve.

Nutrition information per serving (using a third of the dressing):

Calories680Fat42 gSodium500 mg

Carbohydrates27 gSaturated fat9 gCalcium140 mg

Protein50 gCholesterol230 mgDietary fiber10 g

Diabetic exchanges per serving: 2 vegetable, 1 bread/starch, 8 medium-fat meat, 1/2 fat.

CHICKEN BISTEEYA

Serves 4.

Note: "It's basically my interpretation of the famous North African pie that is usually made with pigeon," said Sameh Wadi of Saffron in Minneapolis. "It's very easy to do, since you don't have to poach the chicken and make the broth." Wadi uses smen, a preserved butter similar to ghee (clarified butter) that is available at Holy Land Bakery and Grocery Deli (2513 Central Av. NE., Minneapolis) and other Middle Eastern markets. Ras el hanout is a North African and Middle Eastern spice blend and is available at Holy Land and other Middle Eastern markets. If unavailable, substitute with an equal-parts mixture of ground cinnamon, cayenne pepper, turmeric and ginger. Phyllo dough is available in the freezer section of supermarkets; it needs to defrost slowly.

• 1/2 c. vegetable oil

• 1 c. whole almonds

• 1 (16-oz.) pkg. phyllo dough, at room temperature

• 1/2 c. clarified butter, divided (see below)

• 1 onion, thinly sliced

• 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

• Pinch of saffron

• 1 tsp. ras el hanout, or substitute (see Note)

• 1/4 c. low-sodium chicken stock

• 1 roasted chicken, meat removed from bones and shredded with a fork

• 1/4 c. chopped flat-leaf parsley

• 1/4 c. chopped cilantro

• Juice of 1 lemon

• 4 eggs, beaten

• Salt

• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon

• 1 tsp. powdered sugar

Directions

To make clarified butter: Slowly melt unsalted butter over low heat. The milk solids will sink to the bottom and separate from the golden liquid on top. Skim off any foam and discard. Then carefully pour the golden liquid (the clarified butter) into a container and discard the remaining white milk solids.

To make the bisteeya: In a medium pan over medium-high, heat vegetable oil. Add almonds and fry until golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Using a slotted spoon, remove almonds from pan to a paper towel-lined plate and cool completely. Using a food processor fitted with a metal blade, pulse fried almonds into small pieces and reserve.

Unroll phyllo dough, keeping it under a damp towel to prevent dough from drying out. Brush some of the clarified butter over bottom and sides of a 9-inch pie pan. Cover bottom of pan with a layer of phyllo dough, brush dough with clarified butter, repeat with 5 additional sheets of dough and reserve.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a large saucepan over low heat, melt 1/4 cup of clarified butter. Add onions and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garlic, saffron and ras el hanout (or substitute, see Note). Season with salt.

Increase heat to medium, add chicken stock and simmer until sauce is reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Stir in chicken, parsley, cilantro and lemon juice. Reduce heat to low and add eggs, stirring continuously until sauce congeals (do not allow eggs to scramble).

Spread ground almonds over prepared phyllo dough. Place chicken mixture on top of almonds. Cover with a layer of phyllo dough, brush with clarified butter and repeat with a second layer of phyllo dough and clarified butter. Fold overlapping phyllo dough together to create an edge around the pie pan, brush edge with clarified butter.

Bake 15 minutes, or until phyllo dough is golden brown. In a small bowl, stir together cinnamon and powdered sugar. Remove bisteeya from oven, dust with cinnamon mixture and serve.

Nutrition information per serving:

Calories925Fat62 gSodium325 mg

Carbohydrates40 gSaturated fat22 gCalcium196 mg

Protein54 gCholesterol385 mgDietary fiber7 g

Diabetic exchanges per serving: 3 bread/starch, 6 1/2 medium-fat meat, 6 fat.

ARROZ CON POLLO

Serves 4.

Note: Annatto seeds are available at Penzeys Spices (three Twin Cities locations and www.penzeys.com) and at most natural foods co-ops. From Ricardo Saltos of Brasa in Minneapolis.

• 1 c. olive oil

• 1/4 c. annatto seeds

• 1/2 c. onion, roughly chopped

• 2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped

• 1/2 c. cilantro

• 1/4 c. green pepper, seeded and roughly chopped

• 1/2 jalapeño pepper, with seeds, roughly chopped

• 1 tsp. tomato paste

• 1 pinch dried oregano

• 2 c. roasted chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces

• 1 tsp. brined capers

• 2 tbsp. manzanilla (green) olives, roughly chopped

• 3 c. long-grain white rice

• 4 1/2 c. low-sodium chicken stock (or water)

• 11/2 tsp. salt

Directions

In a small saucepan over low heat, combine olive oil and annatto seeds and gently simmer for 15 minutes, with oil bubbling slightly. Strain oil through a fine-mesh sieve, discarding seeds, and reserve oil.

In a food processor fitted with a metal blade, combine onion, garlic, cilantro, green pepper, jalepeño, tomato paste and dried oregano to make a smooth sofrito purée (adding water, 1 teaspoon at a time, if necessary).

In a high-sided pot over medium heat, warm 3 tablespoons annatto olive oil. Gently sauté sofrito for 5 minutes; do not brown. Add chicken, capers and olives and stir to coat well. Add rice, chicken stock (or water) and salt. Increase heat to high, bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat to low and cover. Cook 25 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and let rest 10 minutes before serving.

Nutrition information per serving:

Calories430Fat17 gSodium1,060 mg

Carbohydrates40 gSaturated fat3 gCalcium45 mg

Protein29 gCholesterol 60 mgDietary fiber1 g

Diabetic exchanges per serving: 2 1/2 bread/starch, 3 lean meat, 1 1/2 fat.

CHICKEN SALAD SANDWICH

Serves 4.

Note: Aioli is garlic-flavored mayonnaise. For food safety reasons, it is recommended that pasteurized eggs be used. Parts of this recipe must be prepared in advance. From Scott Pampuch of Corner Table in Minneapolis.

For aioli:

• 2 tbsp. whole-grain mustard

• 2 pasteurized egg yolks

• 3 cloves garlic

• 1 tsp. kosher salt

• 4 1/2 tsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice

• 1 to 1 1/4 c. fruity extra virgin olive oil

For salad:

• 1 roasted chicken, chicken pulled off bones and cut into 1/2-in. cubes

• Salt and pepper to taste

• 2 larges bunches arugula, trimmed

• 2 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice

• 2 tbsp. olive oil

• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

• 1 Haralson apple (or other crisp apple), peeled, cored and diced

• 1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored and diced

• 1 fresh baguette

Directions

To make aioli: In a food processor fitted with a metal blade, pulse together mustard, egg yolks, garlic, salt and lemon juice. Slowly drizzle in olive oil and process until smooth (if aioli is too thick, add cold water, 1/2 teaspoon at a time, to reach desired consistency). Transfer aioli to a tightly sealed container and refrigerate for up to 2 days; recipe makes about 1 1/4 cups aioli.

To make sandwiches: In a medium bowl, season chicken with salt and pepper to taste, cover and refrigerate until well-chilled, about 2 hours. When ready to make sandwiches, toss chicken, Haralson and Granny Smith apples and 1/4 cup aioli in a large bowl (adding more aioli, 1 tablespoon at a time, to reach desired consistency).

In a medium bowl, toss arugula, lemon juice and olive oil and season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir arugula into chicken mixture. Slice baguette lengthwise, spread chicken salad mixture evenly on bottom half of baguette, cover with top half of baguette, slice into sandwiches and serve.

Nutrition information per serving:

Calories540Fat28 gSodium380 mg

Carbohydrates32 gSaturated fat5 gCalcium110 mg

Protein41 gCholesterol120 mgDietary fiber2 g

Diabetic exchanges per serving: 2 bread/starch, 5 lean meat, 2 1/2 fat.

CHICKEN RILLETTES

Serves 4.

Rillettes is a paste made from meat cooked in seasoned fat and then pulverized and used as a spread. From Scott Pampuch of Corner Table in Minneapolis.

• 1 roast chicken, skinned, with meat shredded off bones

• Extra-virgin olive oil

• 2 medium shallots, finely minced

• 2 garlic cloves, finely minced

• 4 sprigs fresh thyme, roughly chopped

• 1/8 tsp. nutmeg

• 1 3/4 tsp. kosher salt

• 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

• Baguette, cut into slices and toasted

• 2 tbsp. finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

Directions

In bowl of an electric mixer with paddle attachment, mix chicken and 1 tablespoon olive oil on low speed, until chicken holds together. Add shallots, garlic, thyme, nutmeg, salt and pepper and mix until combined. Spread rillettes over toasted baguette, garnish with parsley and serve.

Nutrition information per serving:

Calories385Fat13 gSodium1,044 mg

Carbohydrates24 gSaturated fat3 gCalcium48 mg

Protein40 gCholesterol110 mgDietary fiber1 g

Diabetic exchanges per serving: 1 1/2 bread/starch, 5 lean meat.