/05

Chicken "Club" Salad

(Chicken, Bacon and Tomato Salad with Croutons)

Source: Sara Moulton

Recipe courtesy of Gourmet Magazine

3 cups 3/4-inch cubes of Italian bread (preferably whole wheat)
3 tablespoons olive oil
6 slices of lean bacon, chopped
3 pounds chicken breasts, poached (procedure above), skin and bones discarded, and the meat cut into bite-size pieces (about 4 cups)
1 pint cherry tomatoes, quartered
4 scallions, including the green part, minced
1/2 cup quick basil mayonnaise (recipe follows)
Basil sprigs for garnish if desired

In a bowl drizzle the bread cubes with the oil, tossing them to coat them evenly, and season them with salt. Spread the bread cubes in a jelly-roll pan, toast them in the middle of a preheated 350 degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until they are golden, and let them cool. In a skillet cook the bacon over the moderate heat, stirring, until it is crisp and transfer it with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain. In a large bowl combine well the chicken, the tomatoes, the scallions, two thirds of the bacon, the mayonnaise, and salt and pepper to taste, divide the salad among 6 plates, and arrange the croutons around it. Garnish each serving with some of the remaining bacon and a basil sprig.


Quick Basil Mayonnaise
1 garlic clove
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups loosely packed fresh basil leaves
1 large egg*
4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup olive oil

Mince and mash the garlic to a paste with the salt. In a food processor or blender blend together the basil, the egg, the lemon juice and the garlic paste, with the motor running add the oils in a slow stream, and blend the mayonnaise well. Season the mayonnaise with salt and pepper.

*RAW EGG WARNING The American Egg Board states: "There have been warnings against consuming raw or lightly cooked eggs on the grounds that the egg may be contaminated with Salmonella, a bacteria responsible for a type of foodborne illness... Healthy people need to remember that there is a very small risk and treat eggs and other raw animal foods accordingly. Use only properly refrigerated, clean, sound-shelled, fresh, grade AA or A eggs. Avoid mixing yolks and whites with the shell"