Springs’ First Breath: Curried Chicken Salad Lettuce Wraps

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Well, it finally came, Spring.

After such a long hibernation, trapped house-bound, it is marvelous to be able to sit outside on the patio and have dinner. This is that brief period of Minnesota spring where the snow is just behind us and the heat of the spring has not yet manifested in the feasting hordes of mosquitoes.

Tonight was a simple dinner of Curried Chicken Salad Lettuce Wraps, set out for assembly, and fresh fruit. Delish.

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Simple Curried Chicken Salad

1/2 cup celery

1/2 cup mayonnaise (you can use light to reduce the calories)

1/2 cup golden raisins, chopped dried cherries or mixture of both.

1 cup grapes, sliced in half (optional)

1/4 cup diced white onions.

2-3 tbsp sweet curry

2 cooked chicken breasts, chopped

Mix the first 6 ingredients together. You can add more of any one to suit your taste. My family likes it very curry flavored and crunchy, so I add more  curry andcelery. Then add the chicken and fold gently to mix. I also prefer to have the grapes in there, along with the the tartness of the dried cherries, but if you dont have the fresh grapes on hand, this is just as good without them.

You can serve this right away, but it tastes best after it has had a chance to rest.

This salad can be served as pictured, on lettuce leaves, which is naturally Gluten Free. It can also be served on whole grain bread, in pita pockets, or on a bed of salad greens with radishes and cucumbers, dressed with a simple vinaigrette.

‘Grilled’ Onion Soup

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'Grilled' Onion Soup

This is one of my summertime favorites, because in the heat of the summer the last thing I want to do is turn my oven on. In the winter, it is a nice side benefit to have its’ warmth to heat the house. In the summertime, not so much!

We finally had a break in the never-ending snow blizzards and received our first taste of spring this weekend, so I was inspired to break out one of my favorite summertime side dishes. Grilled onion soup!

I’ve made these for so long, I can’t remember where I picked up the idea. I think it was Paula Deen. All I know is that they are easy, gluten free, and tasty. Here is what you do:

*Cut the top off a sweet onion (leave the root end intact) and carefully peel away the outer paper layer.
*Using a melon baller or a sharp spoon, core out a small opening in the center.
*Using your knife, slice down (but all the way through) to create petals. I usually do 4 cuts resulting in 8 leaves. (see photo)
*Stuff a beef boullion cube (I used Better than Boullion; 1 tsp) and about 1 tbsp of unsalted butter in the well you created in the center. (at this point you can grind some pepper on the onion)
*Wrap in tin foil, sealing tightly. Use a heavy duty tin foil, or a double layer of regular weight. You want to not have any juices leak.
*Place on the middle or top rack of your grill, over medium heat. If you don’t have a rack, you can place on the grates. Placing on the upper grate allows you to walk away and leave unattended until done. If placing directly on the grill, be sure to keep an eye out for burning…use an indirect heat or the lowest setting possible.
*Cook for approximately 40-55 mins, depending upon the size of the onion. The onion should give very easily when squeezed with tongs.

I usually do these first and then let sit while I grill the rest of my food. They will stay nice and hot if left in their foil and covered with a tea towel for at least a 1/2hr. (At least they do for me)

When serving, carefully open your foil from the top. Pour the juices in your crock or bowl and place the onion in the middle.

I hope you enjoy this as much as my family does. It tastes just like french onion soup, only there is no standing over a hot stove worry about burning onions.

(amount of ‘broth’ will vary depending upon the juiciness of the onion)

The Chef’s Table

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The resort that we stayed in while in Two Harbors had a lovely little restaurant called The Ledge Rock Grill where we enjoyed a magnificent meal prepared for us by Chef Nathan. The executive Chef Uriah Hefter  created a simply wonderful meal for us, along with a perfect wine pairing to go with every course. We sat right there, front and center to the kitchen. Originally my youngest child, the Gluten Free one, was supposed to join us. She ended up staying behind with a friend at home, with grand social plans, and so the original menu of Gluten Free was modified and changed to allow gluten. For those who are gluten free, this restaurant is VERY gluten intolerant friendly! I was told by Chef Nathan they are in the process of creating an entire menu for GF.

Here was our menu for the night:

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And this was our view. My apologies for the blur, Chef Uriah (in the hat) WAS a blur of efficiency and activity!

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The first course (amuse) started the night off on a positive note. Pineapple and pork with an asian sauce, perfectly cooked and reminiscent of Hawaii, was much needed considering the blizzard we battled on our journey up the day prior. Chef Nathan was our personal cook, and he finished it off by steaming it a bit with white wine. Oh, what a stroke of genius! It was prettier on the skewer, but I was a teensy bit excited and my camera was slower than my fork!

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The amuse was followed by our ‘salad’. Chef Uriah and I had a fun exchange on the naming of them as ‘fingers’. I felt it was more like a lettuce wrap, he was just as sure it was a ‘finger’. HA! That is why HE is the executive chef and I am not! (In the back are my husbands, sans anchovies. In front are mine, avec anchovies. Of course, mine was better.)

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The third course I must confess was a bit of a let down. You see, since we were in the unit, enjoying our reading and fireside snuggling, we noshed on local cheeses and smoked fish w/ GF crackers for a light lunch. Still, it WAS tasty and I’m never one to let good locally produced food go to waste!

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I was pleasantly surprised that the ‘Roman’ in the palate cleanser was Italian champagne! The raspberry sorbet was homemade and for a moment, I was transported to a nearby U-pick farm I frequent in the summertime. I have decided, this is on my list of ‘To Do’ for summertime entertaining. (Once again, my utensil made it to the target faster than the camera!)

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Le piece de resistance was the lamb. While lamb is one of my most favorite dishes (Rack of Lamb is tied for me with Fois Gras) it is NOT one of my husbands. I glanced over to take a peek and gauge his reaction to his serving. The plate was beautifully presented and the lamb was perfectly cooked pink. I have had lamb a lot in my many years of dining, but this had to be one of the best presentations I’ve ever tasted. It was perfectly seasoned. The seasonings accented the lamb without overpowering it, and the lamb was fresh and clean without a hint of gaminess. As you can see, it was simply perfect, served with rustic heirloom potatoes and fresh green beans!

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I need not have worried about my sweet hunka love going hungry, as it appeared he felt the same as I did about the lamb. I would like to add that my man never, and I mean NEVER chews a bone. I am the officially designated bone chewer in this family, a duty I enjoy with relish. When it’s pork chops on the menu at home, I get all the bones, they get the loins. I have no reservations either about picking up a bone in public and chomping away.

So, while he is never surprised at my picking up the bone in public, I was pleasantly shocked when he did. I would say he enjoyed it quite tremendously!

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We finished up our meal with dessert. Three different homemade frozen treats: chocolate nib, cinnamon and peach/mango. While each one was very different and tasty on it’s own, the peach-mango was our favorite. It must have been that longing we have had for anything that breathes the breath of summer right now.

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That was our wonderful food adventure up on the north shore of Lake Superior. This little culinary gem is hidden away in a resort called Larsmont Cottages. If you don’t stay at the resort, you MUST make reservations for the Chef’s Table and enjoy the creative passion of Chef Uriah. It is a mere 15 minutes north of Duluth, an easy drive. I highly recommend for those Gluten Intolerant and those who are not, but if you are someone who deals with celiac you’d have to call the restaurant. I can’t speak to that, sorry.

If you do get a chance to visit – Bon Appetite!