Where is summer?:
Is it really late July? It seems like it was just first or second of the month, when I sat down to write a post I never published. It’s been one of those kinds of months, when life just flies by. I had meant to say back then that July was going to be a big project month, with posts being more sporadic than I’d like. Sure enough, that’s been the case. The problem is that I can hardly believe it. Three weeks of summer? Where did they go?
The weather probably has something to do with it: Here in Seattle it barely feels like summer has arrived–yesterday looked like April or May, just not as cold. While I’m glad I’m not living in a city going through a heat wave up into the 100s, I must say it would be nice to find a balance between Seattle’s weak weather and the sweltering temperatures some of you are experiencing. Making a summer list has been one of my to-do items for too long now–a couple of months perhaps? But when the sky is blue one day only to be followed by a drizzly gray one the next, it’s hard to feel like summer has actually arrived.
Anyway, back to my point, July’s projects have made regular posting impossible, but please do stick with me here. It’s an exciting time in life, with a big move in progress, among other changes. To be honest, I’m not that good at moving. Maybe it’s just that I’m not that experienced with it. So as I try to follow a MarthaStewart.com rule of packing one room at a time, I fail to maintain other good common sense rules of keeping the rest of the house in order. Instead, the kitchen is a disaster and the living room has become the dumping ground for all sorts of things that need a home–books of paint colors, stacks of unsorted mail, books that I’ve kept around for reference while all the others have been packed. Hopefully you can understand why I haven’t had the time–or maybe it’s the will or the space–to undertake many baking endeavors in the past few weeks.
I do, however, have a salad to share with you. It’s not Norwegian, nor is it exactly a recipe. Now that I’ve told you what it’s not, here’s what it is: a simple, tasty meal–light yet satisfying–that you can make totally from scratch or one that you can adapt to become a no-cook meal if you’re trying to avoid using an oven, stove, or anything else that produces heat right now.Here’s how I made it, with some alternative ideas if you’d like.
Chicken, tomato, and basil salad with roasted red pepper
For the chicken, I tossed thighs with olive oil, salt, and sliced onion, then baked them in a 400-degree oven for about 35 minutes. A rotisserie chicken from your favorite grocery store would also work. While you’re at the store, pick up some roasted red bell peppers, preferably from the deli; that way you’ll have a meal ready in minutes and won’t have to heat up your kitchen on the hottest of summer days.
Salad greens
Basil leaves, torn into pieces (approximately 2 large leaves per serving)
Cherry of grape tomatoes, halved
Roasted red bell peppers (1 per serving)
Chicken (see note above; 1 thigh per serving)
Modified Standby Vinaigrette from My Father’s Daughter*
Place a mound of salad greens on each plate and top with torn basil leaves. Arrange a handful of tomato halves on top, then drizzle with the dressing. Add a chicken thigh and a roasted red bell pepper to each plate and serve.
*Gwyneth Paltrow’s Standby Vinaigrette is on page 69 of her new cookbook. It’s a good recipe, but I prefer a little more bite to dressings so increased the quantities of vinegar and mustard. My apologies for not having my exact measurements–may I use the moving excuse one more time? Here’s how to make it: Whisk together 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard (I probably used closer to 4), 2 teaspoons real Vermont maple syrup, and 1/4 cup red wine vinegar (by the time it was done, mine probably contained closer to 1/2 cup). Gradually add 2 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil and 1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil, whisking continually until emulsified. Season with salt and pepper.
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