Charred Cucumber Salad with Roasted Carrots, Pepitas, Herbed Feta, & Turmeric Crema

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Prep Time:  20 mins    Cook Time:  10 mins    Serves:  2

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While charring in a hot pan may not be the first treatment that comes to mind for cucumber, I promise you will be happy with the results.  Cucumbers are in the squash family, so cooking them this way really isn’t too far outside the norm.  Due to their especially high water content, cucumbers must be seared in a screaming hot pan or they will steam instead of char.  Cut the cucumber in half vertically and salt the exposed flesh before cooking to draw out excess water and pat dry before adding to the pan.  

Ingredients:

• 1 persian hothouse cucumber; halved lengthwise

• 4 carrots; halved lengthwise

• 6-8 bibb lettuce leaves

• ⅓ cup pepitas

• ⅓ cup feta cheese

• ½ cup sour cream

• 2 tsp turmeric

• 2 tsp fresh lemon juice

• 2 tsp marjoram

• Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

In a mixing bowl whisk together sour cream, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and marjoram.  Cover the crema and refrigerate until needed.  

Add a tablespoon of the olive oil to a large saute pan and place over high heat.  When the pan has become very hot and the oil begins to smoke, very carefully add the cucumbers cut side down.  Sear the cucumbers for approximately one minute then flip and lower the heat.  Continue to saute the cucumbers for another two minutes then remove from the pan and drain on paper towels.

Toss the carrots with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil then season with salt and pepper.  Cook the carrots in a saute pan over medium heat until fork tender, then set aside and drain on paper towels until ready to use.  

Plate the lettuce leaves then fan out the carrots and cucumbers on top.  Liberally add the crema  then garnish with the pepitas and feta.

A Better Chicken Dinner Part 2: Organic Chicken Breast, Celery Root Puree, Spring Vegetables, & Pickled Radish

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Prep time:  30 mins.   Cook time:  30 mins.   Serves:  2

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The carrots and asparagus are intentionally given minimal attention here , in order to bring out their freshness and true flavor.  Simply seasoning with salt and pepper and roasting will bring out natural sugars and give a clean, fresh palate to work with.  

Celery root is exactly what it sounds like, the tuber that celery stalks grow from.  It has the vegetative taste of celery with the earthiness of a russet potato.  Simmered until very tender and then pureed with buttermilk and butter gives it a mashed potato like texture while retaining most of the original flavor.  

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Ingredients:

• 1 whole split chicken breast
• 1 whole celery root; peeled and cubed
• 1 large leek; sliced
• 4 whole carrots; peeled
• ½ lb asparagus
• 1 radish; sliced very thin
• ⅓ cup white wine vinegar
• 2 tbsp granulated sugar
• 1 tbsp salt
• 2 tsp celery seeds
• 3 tbsp butter; divided
• 3 tbsp vegetable oil; divided
• ¼ cup buttermilk
• 1 cup water
• ¼ cup fresh parsley; chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  In a small saucepan, add vinegar, tbsp salt, sugar, and celery seed.  Bring to a simmer over medium heat.   When vinegar mix is hot, pour over sliced radish.  Set aside and allow radish to pickle while you prepare the rest of your components.

Place a sauce pan over medium  and add cubed celery root and water.  Simmer celery root until very tender.  Strain celery root and add to a food processor.  Puree celery root, adding in 1 tbsp butter and buttermilk, until very smooth.  Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

Place a saute pan over medium heat with remaining butter.  Add leeks and season well with salt.  Allow the leeks to gradually cook down and become tender, occasionally stirring and adding a tbsp of water to make a light sauce.  

While the leeks are cooking, place a large skillet or saute pan over high heat with 2 tbsp of vegetable oil.  When the pan is very hot, place your chicken breast skin side down in the pan.  Immediately place the pan in the oven and roast chicken until it reaches an internal temperature of 160, about 15 minutes.  Flip the chicken over about halfway through the cooking time to ensure it cooks evenly.  

Meanwhile, add remaining vegetable oil to a saute pan and add carrots, seasoning with salt and pepper.  Place the pan in the oven and allow the carrots to roast until fork tender, about 10 mins.  Halfway through the cook time, add in the asparagus and roast both vegetables together.  Slice carrots in half to plate once they are finished.