Get Cooking_ 150 Simple Recipes to Get You Started in the Kitchen - Mollie Katzen [28]
chinese chicken salad with soy-ginger-sesame vinaigrette
Makes 2 to 3 large dinner-sized salads, or 4 to 6 smaller side salads
The next time you’re contemplating Chinese takeout, try this big, colorful, crunchy main-dish salad. You can make it with Pan-Grilled Boneless Chicken Breasts (Chapter 6: Chicken, Fish, and Meat), which you’ll need to make ahead of time (as much as 3 days in advance) so they can cool. If you’re in a big hurry, cook the chicken, slice it, spread the slices out on a plate, and put the plate in the refrigerator while you make the dressing and put the rest of the salad together. In 15 minutes or so, the chicken should be cool enough to toss into the salad. Or use leftover roast chicken (made using the recipe on Chapter 6: Chicken, Fish, and Meat; or store-bought rotisserie chicken; or even better, roast chicken—or even duck—from a Chinese deli).
The dressing keeps for weeks in a tightly lidded jar in the refrigerator; shake it well before serving. This recipe calls for seasoned rice vinegar, which is a commonly available version of rice vinegar that contains a little salt and sugar. In a pinch, you can substitute plain rice vinegar or even cider vinegar. If you do, increase the quantity of sugar to 1 tablespoon and the salt to ¼ teaspoon.
Don’t stress about stemming the cilantro. Just tear off the longer stems so you have mostly leaves, and you’re good to go.
soy-ginger-sesame vinaigrette
3 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar
¼ teaspoon minced garlic (about half a small clove)
1 teaspoon finely minced fresh ginger
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
3 tablespoons canola, soy, or peanut oil
salad
1 pound romaine lettuce (a large head or “hearts”)
2 cooked chicken breasts (see Chapter 6: Chicken, Fish, and Meat), sliced, shredded, or cut into bite-sized chunks; or about 2 cups shredded or sliced cooked chicken
1½ cups (about 4 ounces) shredded red cabbage
1 cup (about 3 ounces) mung bean sprouts
2 medium carrots, shredded (about 1 cup, packed)
2 scallions (white and tender greens parts), cut into very thin strips about 1-inch long
½ cup loosely packed cilantro leaves
2/3 cup cashews and/or slivered almonds, lightly toasted
1. To make the dressing, combine all the ingredients in a smallish bowl and whisk until blended. (Or put all the ingredients in a small jar with a tight-fitting lid and shake it emphatically.)
2. Separate the romaine leaves, and then wash them in very cold water and spin them very dry. (If you have purchased hearts of romaine in a sealed pack, you can skip the washing; just cut off the stems and separate the leaves.) Tear the leaves into bite-sized pieces.
3. Combine the romaine, chicken, cabbage, bean sprouts, carrots, scallions, and cilantro in a large bowl, and toss to mix well. Just before serving, whisk the dressing—or shake it, if it’s in a jar—to recombine, and add about half. Toss to coat, and give it a taste. You might want to add the rest of the dressing now, or just let people add their own at the table. Top with nuts and serve immediately.
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GET CREATIVE
Toss in some sliced water chestnuts (an 8-ounce can, rinsed and drained).
If you like a little heat, add a few dashes of Chinese chile oil to the dressing (start slow and taste as you go).
Whisk a teaspoon of wasabi paste or a pinch of powdered wasabi into the dressing for extra zing.
Toss in some mandarin orange segments (fresh seedless ones, or the drained contents of an 11-ounce can).
Sprinkle some chow mein noodles (the crunchy kind that come in a can) over the top.
Substitute chopped roasted peanuts for some or all of the cashews and/or almonds.
Sprinkle in 1 to 2 teaspoons white or black sesame seeds as you toss the salad. (They add a terrific little