Flashback Friday - Chicken Salad with Couscous and Pecans

This post originally appeared on Minxeats.com on September 4, 2013.

The other day, I found that I hadn't made adequate plans for dinner so had to whip something up from ingredients on hand. There were two fried chicken thighs and some baby spinach in the fridge, but that's not enough for two people for dinner. At least, not these two people.

I poked around in the cupboard and found a bag of pearl couscous, which made me think of the chicken salad with pistachios and couscous at Donna's. Only we didn't have pistachios. No worries - any nuts will do, really. The combination of chicken, greens, pasta, and nuts is earthy and satisfying.

Chicken Salad with Couscous and Pecans

2 leftover fried chicken thighs

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon agave syrup or honey

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
pinch crab spice (or salt and pepper)

1 cup pearl couscous
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
pinch of minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon maple syrup
2 cups mixed baby greens per person
1 avocado, sliced
1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans

Remove the coating and skin from the chicken thighs and place it, skin side down, into a large skillet. Cover pan and cook over medium-high heat, turning skin pieces once or twice, until dark brown and crisp. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate and sprinkle with salt.

While the skin is crisping, remove the chicken meat from the bones and tear into shreds. Mix the mayo, mustard, honey, lemon zest, and crab spice in a small bowl. Pour over the chicken and mix well. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Bring 1 1/4 cups of water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add the pearl couscous and cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes, until the water is absorbed and the couscous is tender. Drizzle with a bit of olive oil and a pinch of salt and stir to coat the grains with oil. Set pan aside and allow couscous to cool.

Blend together the three tablespoons of olive oil, the balsamic vinegar, garlic, Dijon and maple syrup to make a vinaigrette. Toss the baby greens with the vinaigrette until the leaves are lightly coated.

For each serving: Place a bed of baby greens on a serving plate. Top with a mound of the couscous (you might have to stir it with a fork, first, to break up any clumps) and a mound of the chicken salad. Arranged sliced avocado around edge of salad. Garnish with the pecans and some of the crisp chicken skin.

Serves 2-4



Posted on Minxeats.com.

Flashback Friday - Chicken Salad with Couscous and Pecans

Here's an easy main dish salad recipe inspired by one of my favorite restaurant dishes of the 90s.

--Kathy

This post was originally published on September 4, 2013.
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Chicken Salad with Couscous and Pecans

The other day, I found that I hadn't made adequate plans for dinner so had to whip something up from ingredients on hand. There were two fried chicken thighs and some baby spinach in the fridge, but that's not enough for two people for dinner. At least, not these two people.

I poked around in the cupboard and found a bag of pearl couscous, which made me think of the chicken salad with pistachios and couscous at Donna's. Only we didn't have pistachios. No worries - any nuts will do, really. The combination of chicken, greens, pasta, and nuts is earthy and satisfying.

Chicken Salad with Couscous and Pecans

2 leftover fried chicken thighs

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon agave syrup or honey

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
pinch crab spice (or salt and pepper)

1 cup pearl couscous
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
pinch of minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon maple syrup
2 cups mixed baby greens per person
1 avocado, sliced
1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans

Remove the coating and skin from the chicken thighs and place it, skin side down, into a large skillet. Cover pan and cook over medium-high heat, turning skin pieces once or twice, until dark brown and crisp. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate and sprinkle with salt.

While the skin is crisping, remove the chicken meat from the bones and tear into shreds. Mix the mayo, mustard, honey, lemon zest, and crab spice in a small bowl. Pour over the chicken and mix well. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Bring 1 1/4 cups of water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add the pearl couscous and cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes, until the water is absorbed and the couscous is tender. Drizzle with a bit of olive oil and a pinch of salt and stir to coat the grains with oil. Set pan aside and allow couscous to cool.

Blend together the three tablespoons of olive oil, the balsamic vinegar, garlic, Dijon and maple syrup to make a vinaigrette. Toss the baby greens with the vinaigrette until the leaves are lightly coated.

For each serving: Place a bed of baby greens on a serving plate. Top with a mound of the couscous (you might have to stir it with a fork, first, to break up any clumps) and a mound of the chicken salad. Arranged sliced avocado around edge of salad. Garnish with the pecans and some of the crisp chicken skin.

Serves 2-4




Posted on Minxeats.com.

Cosima - Coming Soon!

The old mills along the Jones Falls in the Woodberry/Hampden area have gone through a great deal of renovation recently, especially as new restaurants. Of course, Woodberry Kitchen is the most well known, but Birroteca has been pulling in big business for several years and La Cuchara is a new hotspot in this desirable section of town. In January 2016, Cosima will open its doors in Mill No. 1 serving refined Italian cuisine in a space that combines the rustic elements of its mill past with ultra modern decor and a lovely view of the Jones Falls.

Cosima is the brainchild of Donna Crivello of Donna's in the Village of Cross Keys and Donna's Cafe, and her partners, Alan Hirsh and Judith Golding. The cuisine is Southern Italian, but framed in the format of many New American restaurants, offering appetizers to share, pasta, pizza from their wood-fired brick oven, and entrees that are a bit lighter than your traditional red sauce establishments. The Minx and I were recently given a preview of some of the dishes that will be offered.

We started the evening with a pair of cocktails using various brands of amaro, an Italian liqueur that will be featured prominently on the restaurant's specialty cocktail menu. The word amaro means "bitter" in Italian; each brand has its own level of bitterness, which was balanced by other elements in the cocktails, like prosecco. Cosima will also offer a wine list comprised of wines made exclusively in Southern Italy.

The sharing plates will include a crudo like the swordfish variety we sampled. The light starter featured pickled fennel and a vinaigrette for the right touch of acid.

The brick walls of the old mill provide a perfect home for their newly built wood-fired oven. From this oven will come a variety of pizzas, like the Sfincione Sicilian pizza with eggpant, Italian sausage, and smoked mozzarella. I've always maintained that I'm not a fan of eggplant, but this pizza has me thinking twice. The menu will also feature thin-crust pizzas.

When I first arrived at the preview, Donna was just bringing out the polpetti, or momma's meatballs, and asked if I wanted to be the first to try them. I would never turn down meatballs, so I eagerly said yes. I was a little disappointed when she only put two on the plate rather than allowing me to eat the whole skillet. My disappointment was allayed somewhat by the incredible flavor. Redolent of garlic and cumin and slightly firm (the way I like them), they were enhanced by the tangy ragu and house-made ricotta.

The restaurant was still a work in progress when we visited, so we're eager to revisit Cosima when it opens to see how the finished product and sample more of the intriguing cuisine. When the weather gets warmer, I'm sure the outdoor seating along the Falls will be wonderful to experience.

Cosima
3000 Falls Road, Mill No. 1
Baltimore, MD 21211
443-708-7352
www.cosimamill1.com



Posted on Minxeats.com.

Chicken Salad with Couscous and Pecans

The other day, I found that I hadn't made adequate plans for dinner so had to whip something up from ingredients on hand. There were two fried chicken thighs and some baby spinach in the fridge, but that's not enough for two people for dinner. At least, not these two people.

I poked around in the cupboard and found a bag of pearl couscous, which made me think of the chicken salad with pistachios and couscous at Donna's. Only we didn't have pistachios. No worries - any nuts will do, really. The combination of chicken, greens, pasta, and nuts is earthy and satisfying.

Chicken Salad with Couscous and Pecans

2 leftover fried chicken thighs

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon agave syrup or honey

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
pinch crab spice (or salt and pepper)

1 cup pearl couscous
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
pinch of minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon maple syrup
2 cups mixed baby greens per person
1 avocado, sliced
1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans

Remove the coating and skin from the chicken thighs and place it, skin side down, into a large skillet. Cover pan and cook over medium-high heat, turning skin pieces once or twice, until dark brown and crisp. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate and sprinkle with salt.

While the skin is crisping, remove the chicken meat from the bones and tear into shreds. Mix the mayo, mustard, honey, lemon zest, and crab spice in a small bowl. Pour over the chicken and mix well. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Bring 1 1/4 cups of water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add the pearl couscous and cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes, until the water is absorbed and the couscous is tender. Drizzle with a bit of olive oil and a pinch of salt and stir to coat the grains with oil. Set pan aside and allow couscous to cool.

Blend together the three tablespoons of olive oil, the balsamic vinegar, garlic, Dijon and maple syrup to make a vinaigrette. Toss the baby greens with the vinaigrette until the leaves are lightly coated.

For each serving: Place a bed of baby greens on a serving plate. Top with a mound of the couscous (you might have to stir it with a fork, first, to break up any clumps) and a mound of the chicken salad. Arranged sliced avocado around edge of salad. Garnish with the pecans and some of the crisp chicken skin.

Serves 2-4



Posted on Minxeats.com.

Baltimore Winter Restaurant Week - Donna's at Cross Keys

Saturday night was going to include a trip to Fogo de Chao for an Orgy of Protein, Brazilian-style, but three cancellations from our original party of 5 caused us to scrap the idea entirely and have dinner elsewhere. A quick perusal of the Restaurant Week menus and Open Table reservation availability led us to dine instead at Donna's at Cross Keys. Mr Minx and I ate there once a few years ago. It's one of those places that has pretty good food, but is out of sight, tucked away in Cross Keys, and thus out of mind. Plus, there's a Donna's across the street from my office, and I've been none too happy with them for a while now.

Rather than adhering to Restaurant Week's new New York-style $35 prix fixe fee, Donna's offered three courses for $25.10. A real steal, as their food is hearty and filling, and the portion sizes are more than reasonable.

We started out with two salads - the Granny Smith apple salad and the roasted beet and arugula salad. Mr Minx wanted more dressing and less gorgonzola, and I wished the beets had been left in the oven a skoche longer (one would think that after almost 20 years of roasting veggies, they'd get it right by now), but otherwise were happy with them.

For my entree, I went with the pan roasted salmon fillet with a wild mushroom ragu and orange butternut squash puree. As you can see in the photo, the skin was hit with such high heat, it was practically blistered (a.k.a burnt). Beneath this ultra-crisp layer was succulent, perfectly-cooked flesh. I so wish I could make salmon this way at home!

Although the mushroom and tomato ragu and the butternut squash purée may have seemed too hearty a match for fish, the bit of orange both lightened and heightened the squash and made for a harmonious link between all of the elements.

Mr Minx went for the Sicilian meatloaf which came with mashed potatoes and sautéed kale. The meatloaf had a heartier/denser texture than I'm currently used to, with an interesting blend of spices, including cinnamon. The kale was nicely cooked - not leathery, but not a pile of mush, either. It was nice to see that vegetables were not merely an afterthought as they seem to be in so many dining establishments.

For dessert we had the house cheesecake, a low-rise NY-style dense affair, served with sliced strawberries and an ornamental blob of whipped cream. I prefer lighter cheesecake, but this was pretty good.

Dinner was definitely worth the price, and with two glasses of wine and tax it cost about as much as the regular Restaurant Week fee without drinks. But even better than the price was the opportunity to eavesdrop on the conversation of the women at the next table. I could really only hear the woman on Mr Minx's side, a rather portly gal with an air of pretension. I can be pretty pretentious myself, but at least I pronounce things properly. Among the gems that came out of her mouth were "keeona" (quinoa) and "pure-ee" (purée). And when our efficient waitress asked them how their entrées were, she responded, "delly-oso!"

Overall, a pretty good meal from what we should be considering a neighborhood joint. We really should eat at Donna's more often.

Donna's
Cross Keys
5100 Falls Road
40 Village Square
Baltimore, MD 21210
410-532-7611