THE COUNTRY LIFE

Well people (not sure if I'm even addressing anyone), it's been a while...

So many great things percolating, a possible dramatic food TV series, a wonderful script I'm developing that might actually come to something (it's a beauty) and here it is summer and I find myself entertaining a lot, both in the city and in the country.

Been digging in the garden trying to plant some new rose bushes.  Yanked out 5 old deeply rooted and not so great old ones and we shall see how it goes...

I have my favorite friends from Iceland, Gisli and Nina Gardarsson, coming this weekend up to the house with their two children, along with Chef Tom Valenti and his lady friend Katherine (works with City Harvest), plus my best buddy Robin Skye and my pal Nathan Sheffield.

We all cook...a lot.  But I want to keep things light, as my Icelandic friends are quit fit...


Last weekend my right hand gal Honey Calvert and I made a kind of warm salad, well that is if you mixed the three elements together on the plate, since we served each separately...but it would make a divine salad!


Annie's American/Asian/Mexican/Italian Combo

for 2 people (with a little leftover), just double or triple....whatever


For The Chicken:
Start with good trimmed chicken cutlets, enough for two per person

In a bowl make 2 Chicken marinades (we tried them both):

wasabi mayo
few dashes of fish sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
2 tsp kikkoman citrus and soy sauce
zest of 1 whole lemon
2 tbs fresh ground ginger
salt and pepper

(alternate marinade which is more like a BBQ sauce)

Ketchup (main ingredient)
Soy Sauce
Fish Sauce
Sesame Oil
Chilpotle Veganaise (if you can't find this, just a dollop of mayo and some cajan spices, like chili powder and cayenne)
Maple Syrup (very little, don't want it too sweet)

Blend in each in separate bowls and marinate chicken for a few hours in refrigerator  (turn at least once)


For The Corn:
4 ears fresh corn (two per person) shucked

(before grilling corn, slather with butter or olive oil, salt and pepper)

Have ready, Grated, about a third of a square of Queso Fresco (Cojito) White Mexican Cheese

1 tablespoon of Mayo

After grilling corn, so it is slightly charred here and there (don't over cook or it will be dry)
Then cut kernels off the cobs in a bowl 
(A trick you can do is place a jello mold pan right side up in a larger bowl and and stand each cob on large end and cut off kernels and they will fall into the mold and the odd kernel into the bigger bowl that you can use for serving)

Sprinkle the cheese over it and then season with Fresh Black Pepper and Salt AND
most importantly, 
Shake to taste, some Chili powder 

Add dollop of Mayo and toss gently


For The Salad:
Half a package of Baby Arugula (was just enough for two), if you are serving separately, but if you are assembling as a salad, use the entire package.

Season with Salt and Fresh Ground Black Pepper

Squeeze juice of Half a Lemon (whole lemon if entire package)

Toss very gently (I sort of flip the bowl back and forth for the greens to jump around)

Drizzle a little Olive Oil and toss again

That is really all arugula ever needs.


At this point you can serve each item separately and let your guests combine them

Or 

You can cut up pieces of the chicken into small pieces and toss with arugula and corn and serve.


WISHING ALL A GRAND WEEKEND....