Probably in no other menu category have we experienced in these past few years more evidence of change, experimentation, and new raw products than in salads. It is only the beginning, I'm sure. A number of factors have contributed to this new range-the public's desire to eat more lightly and healthfully, the vigilant efforts and skills of farmers, and the imaginative work of chefs, whether professional or dedicated amateurs, have all conspired to make this welcome trend possible.
In the past, Americans have shortchanged themselves with iceberg lettuce pasted with syrupy-sweet bottled concoctions, mostly either red or green. Now the trend is to enjoy Mother Nature within the cycle of her seasons. It doesn't have to be complicated: You don't need a written recipe for the simple perfection of tender greens drizzled with good olive oil, vinegar, and freshly ground black pepper. Yet, if we wish to make a salad the focus of our meal, we can complicate it as we see fit.
Cold salads, warm salads, salads with fish or meat, cheese, or fruit, or combinations thereof, are part of the broad panoply of choices available to us. The ethnic mix in this country is widening our global interest and awareness of nature's bounty. Asia and South and Central America, in particular, are expanding and redefining our list of raw ingredients today.
In the rush to seem inventive we tend to overembrace the newest or even weirdest foodstuffs, yet the inquisitive palate is a vital tool. It may seem that we are up to our necks in radicchio and miniature vegetables. Their place at center stage will pass, and there will be new darlings from the garden. It is the process of natural selection. Radicchio is not new, nor are most of the other things we are sampling in our markets and restaurant tables today-cherimoya, mustard greens, and lobster mushrooms have existed for a long time. Only our awareness and appreciation for them is new, and they are welcome in my kitchen. Still, there is nothing on God's green earth more luscious than a tomato, just plucked off the vine and still full of the summer's heat, rinsed and cut into fat slices with a razor-sharp knife, and eaten with a pinch of salt and pepper, a splash of vinegar-leaning over the kitchen sink.
ОТ FRIED CHICKEN SALAD
with Honey-Mustard Dressing
Hands down, this has been the most consistently requested salad I've ever put on a menu Perhaps it satisfies some primal urge, I don't know, but this recipe is a study in contrasts: hot and cold, spicy and sweet, raw and cooked, crunchy and smooth-and maybe that is the key. The salad needs to be served immediately after you make it or those contrasts are lost. It can serve as a light entree by itself.
The dressing can be made a day or two days ahead. The chicken is best marinated overnight in the refrigerator. The lettuces can be prepared a few hours ahead and left in paper toweling in a bowl in the refrigerator. At our restaurant we deep-fry the chicken in peanut oil but you can pan-fry this in a deep skillet, taking normal safety precautions.
Serves 6 to 8
SALAD DRESSING
3 Ph 3
'/2
egg yolks
tablespoons honey
ounces (6 tablespoons) creole mustard cup or slightly less balsamic vinegar
MARINADE AND CHICKEN
6 whole eggs
2 cups heavy cream
2 jalapeno peppers, stems and seeds removed, sliced thin 1 ¥2 tablespoons crushed red pepper flakes V/2 tablespoons cayenne pepper
1Ч2 cups safflower oil Ч2 cup extra virgin olive oil 2 tablespoons roasted sesame oil
Salt and ground black pepper to taste IV2 tablespoons hot paprika 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into small, finger-size pieces Peanut oil for deep-frying chicken, enough to completely cover
head of romaine, outer leaves removed, remainder washed and torn head of red leaf lettuce, outer leaves removed, remainder washed and torn red onion, thinly sliced into rings
442 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons salt
6 tablespoons black pepper
9 tablespoons crushed red pepper flakes
3 1. Make the salad dressing: Beat the egg yolks with the honey, mustard, and balsamic vinegar. Gradually add the oils, whisking vigorously, until an emulsion forms. Refrigerate dressing in a covered container.
2. Prepare the marinade: Beat the eggs until thick and lemon colored. Slowly beat in the remaining ingredients. The marinade should be creamy, with a sweet/tart taste. Add the chicken strips to the marinade and refrigerate at least 12 hours or overnight.
3. An hour or two before serving prepare lettuces and chill. Prepare onion rings and set aside, covered. Mix the flour with the salt, pepper, pepper flakes, and cayenne in a large, shallow bowl.
4. When ready to serve, heat the oil to approximately 350 degrees. Remove the chilled chicken meat, allowing excess marinade to drip off. (You can simply strain the marinade off into the sink since you'll be cooking all the chicken at once.) Roll the chicken "fingers" in the seasoned flour.
5. Fry the chicken, turning it from time to time, until it is light brown.
6. Toss the lettuces in a bowl with just enough salad dressing to coat the leaves lightly. Mound the leaves in large chilled bowls.
7. Remove the hot chicken to toweling and cut up into bite-sized pieces. Arrange them over the greens and top with rings of red onion. Serve immediately.
This dish demonstrates that the Mediterranean region exerts as much influence on Key West's cuisine as does the Caribbean. This salad can be a nice luncheon by itself. It is important to use excellent bread, tomatoes, and oil-for me, the magic and power of the dish are in the flavors of its simple ingredients.