Italian-style Chopped Salad with Chicken and Parmesan Crostini

Sorry it’s taken me so long to post this. The week has not been off to a great start, thanks to an ice storm that has left me housebound with a semi-sick toddler. Here is the dish I developed to meet my husband’s challenge last week for a satisfying salad that works as a meal.

The verdict:

• Husband: thumbs up! Comments: “delicious,” “flavorful,” “satisfying,” so I guess I scored on all counts.
• Toddler: thumbs down! He didn’t even try the deconstructed version I made for him. Comments: “I don’t like tay-mos,” which is a bold-faced lie, by the way.
• Me: thumbs up! Would I make this again? Definitely!

I love chopped salads, so I decided to start from there, and I went with Italian flavors because Italian is my husband’s favorite cuisine. The salad even has all the colors of the Italian flag: red, green and white. I thought it looked great on the plate. I wanted to combine a lot of textures and bold flavors in the dish, and also to incorporate some protein and bread to make it really satisfying as a meal.

For the base of the salad I used two greens, romaine and butter lettuce, which I sliced into ribbons. I wanted to use baby spinach, but when I got to the store that day, absolutely all of the salad greens were gone. We were scheduled to have an ice storm, so I figured that had to have something to do with it. I’ve heard of runs on milk and bread in the face of adverse weather, but not runs on salad, so I guess people really are eating healthier these days. I grabbed the only lettuce that was left: a head of butter lettuce. Fortunately, it worked out, because my husband loved both the lettuces I used.

The rest of the components suggested themselves: broiled chicken for heft; green beans for crunch; grape tomatoes and picante peppers for acid and brightness; mozzarella cheese for a creamy contrast; and Parmesan crostini fill in for the bread. The recipe follows. Please note that I didn’t measure exact amounts, so use your best judgment if you decide to make it. As written, this recipe feeds 2, but it can be easily doubled or tripled.

Italian-style Chopped Salad

For the chicken:

Place 1 boneless chicken breast in an oven-safe pan. Salt and pepper both sides, and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle the top with grated Parmesan, dried oregano and the zest and juice of ½ lemon.

On the stovetop, cook the chicken uncovered over medium-high heat until it is halfway cooked through. Turn on the broiler and transfer the pan to the oven. Finish cooking the chicken through — the top should be browned and the Parmesan melted — and set aside to cool. Slice thinly.

For the dressing:

Combine in a jar:

• the remaining zest and juice of the lemon
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 4 tablespoons good-quality olive oil
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
• salt and pepper

Shake to combine well and set aside. You may have to mix the dressing again just before dressing the salad.

To assemble the salad:

Trim 2 large handfuls green beans and snap in half if the pieces are long. Blanch for a minute or two in boiling water, then transfer to an ice bath.

Wash and halve about half the contents of a container of grape tomatoes.

Cut 1 ball of fresh mozzarella into cubes.

Thinly slice a small handful of peperoncini or piquante peppers packed in vinegar.

Thinly slice into ribbons 1 small head romaine lettuce and ½ head butter lettuce. Toss in a bowl with half the dressing.

Place some salad greens on each of two plates. On top arrange the green beans, tomatoes and sliced chicken. Drizzle the remaining dressing over. Scatter the peppers and mozzarella over the top.

The crostini:

Cut 4 thin slices of bread from a French baguette. Place on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Mound freshly grated Parmesan on top. Put under the broiler for 1-2 minutes (watch closely!) until the cheese is melted and the crostini have browned. Serve immediately on the side of the salads.

Quick and Easy but Elegant Party Food

Yes, the party season is winding down, but here’s a dilemma that can come up at any time: What do you do if you want to be social and have people over, but you don’t want to spend a lot of time cooking beforehand? I know that as I have gotten more and more pregnant, my tolerance for standing in front of a stove has diminished greatly. Here are some ideas I’ve used for putting together a simple but elegant spread without spending a lot of time or effort, beyond perhaps a quick trip to the grocery store.

The Cheese Tray

Of course, the cheese tray is a classic for good reason — who doesn’t love a selection of nice cheeses? But you can get creative with it without too much extra effort. Fresh and dried fruits, nuts, pickles and cured meats all pair well with cheeses. In addition, why not put out one or two unusual accompaniments? One of my favorites is hot pepper jelly, which goes especially well with a creamy cheese like chevre. An unusual mustard, chutney, honey or infused oil would also work. In fact, this is a great opportunity to get rid of that gourmet gift or that jar you picked up on a shopping trip that looked interesting but you haven’t figured out what to do with it.

Breads and Chips

This is another way to get creative without expending too much effort: make your own crostini and chips. Slice up a baguette or cut pitas or tortillas into wedges, brush with oil, sprinkle with a little coarse salt and crisp up in a 400-degree oven for 8-10 minutes, until browned. Other breads will work too. Crostini and chips freeze well, so are easy to keep on hand. I have gotten into the habit of making them whenever I have some bread that is about to turn rock hard and keeping a freezer bag full. Not only are they good to pull out for parties, but they also make yummy snacks.

Straws and Tarts

If you have some puff pastry dough or pre-made pizza dough, you can make a whole host of finger foods. Keep these ingredients on hand in the freezer, and all you have to remember is to take them out to thaw a few hours before the party starts. I have spread pizza dough with pesto and sprinkled with grated cheese, then folded over the edges to form a rustic tart. Other simple toppings, such as sun-dried tomatoes, roasted peppers or olives, would also be delicious. Bake for 10 minutes in a 400-degree oven, and the result is a real crowd pleaser.

Or press grated cheese, sesame seeds, herbs or spices into a sheet of puff pastry dough. Cut the dough into strips, twist each strip and bake at 400 degrees for about 10 minutes to make elegant straws. These look nice served in a tall vase or pitcher.

Smoked Fish Platter

This is one of my favorite appetizers (sometimes I make a meal of it): an assortment of smoked fishes, such as salmon, trout and oysters, with a variety of accompaniments. I like to serve smoked fish with those tiny loaves of black bread, sour cream, honey mustard, fresh dill or chives and minced red onion. They also go well with cucumber slices, tomato slices and melon wedges.

Mulled Wine or Cider

One way to ensure that your house smells terrific when guests arrive is to have a pot of mulled wine or cider on the stove, and it’s dead easy to make. Pour 1 bottle of dry red wine or apple cider into a large pot. Add 1 sliced orange and 1 sliced lemon, 2 cloves, 2 cinnamon sticks and a few dashes nutmeg. If needed, stir in some sugar to taste. Bring to a simmer — do not let it boil! — and then keep warm over low during the party.

Presentation

Since you don’t have to spend a lot of time cooking, you have more time to come up with creative ways to present the food. I actually think these ideas are more fun than the typical trays of hors d’oeuvres, because they can be served in lots of little bowls, plates and platters that you can place at various strategic points around the party area, rather than creating that one central food station where everyone congregates. I love to collect small ceramic dishes and bowls, and a gathering is a perfect excuse to show them off.

The key is to have fun with it. Even the simplest dishes can be impressive, and your guests won’t know what shortcuts you’ve taken. This leaves you more time and energy to actually enjoy your parties.

Happy new year!