Fried Chicken Salad

Prepared November 25, 2013. The dish uses leftover fried chicken breast meat.

1/2 lb (250 g) boneless, skinless chicken breast harvested from fried chicken (or rotisserie chicken), small dice
1/2 c celery, small dice
1/4 c green onions, finely crosscut
1 T vegetable oil
3 T lemon juice
2 T fresh parsley, minced (or 1 T dry)
1 t dry tarragon, rubbed
1/3 c mayonaise
salt and pepper to taste

In a small bowl, mix the chicken with the vegetables. Then drizzle on oil and lemon juice, add the herbs, and mix. Mix the mayonaise in gently, add salt and pepper, and additional lemon juice to taste. Makes about a pint. Variation: Substitute roast turkey breast for the chicken.

Ingredient: Toaster-Oven Bacon

Toaster-Oven Bacon, Butter-Steamed Egg & Blueberry Pancake

Published June 4, 2011. Restaurant and hotel chefs usually prepare bacon in large quantities in the oven. This toaster-oven method is easy to use in the home for small quantities. It is easier and cleaner than frying. A crisp, flat product emerges in 20 minutes or less. Great as a side dish, or as an ingredient in other dishes. Make extra to add bacon flavor and crispness to other dishes such as BLTs, appetizers, dips or salads.

4 slices thick-cut bacon
heavy aluminum foil larger than toaster-oven grill pan

Preheat a toaster-oven to 400 degrees F (ca 190 C; 465 K). Crumple the aluminum foil and then unfold and flatten it. Cover the toaster-oven grill pan with the aluminum foil. This creates sharp peaks to support the bacon without sticking and valleys to help the fat drain away as the bacon cooks, and greatly simplifies clean up. Arrange the bacon stretched out on the foil. Bake for 15 minutes, check for doneness, turn the bacon strips over and continue baking until crisp, another 2 to 5 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Keeps well in refrigerator or freezer, tightly wrapped in dry spot.

Cabbage Rolls (Golumpki)

A large cabbage yields about 2 dozen golumpki

Recorded October 15, 2008. A Family Favorite.

Filling

1-1/4 lb lean ground beef
2-1/2 c cooked rice
1 egg, beaten
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 T minced garlic
2 T vegetable oil
salt and pepper

1 large head of green cabbage

Sauce

1 15-oz can tomato sauce
3 T brown sugar
1-1/2 T lemon juice
1 medium onion chopped
1/2 c green pepper chopped
salt and pepper to taste

Saute the onion and garlic in oil until soft and clear. In a large bowl combine with the other filling ingredients and set aside. Combine the sauce ingredients in a bowl, mix thoroughly and set aside Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cut deeply through the leaves at the base of the cabbage and place the head in boiling water. Cover and cook until a few outer leaves can be peeled back. Use a large fork in the base to steady the cabbage and tongs to peel back the leaves. As the leaves become softened, remove them to cool and drain and then peel away another group of outer leaves, continuing until all the usable leaves are softened and cooled. Chop the interior leaves and add to the sauce. Trim away the tough bottom of a leaf and place about 3 tablespoons of filling and roll and fold the cabbage leaf to form a tight package. Place in a baking pan, seam side down. Continue until all the filling has been used. Any spare leaves can be rolled and included in the pan. Pour sauce over rolls and cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil. Bake 60 min at 350 degrees F (177 C). Serve with steamed rice.  Hint: A second batch of sauce can be prepared in a saucepan by combining the ingredients and simmering for 30 minutes while the rolls bake.

Greek Village Salad

Inspired by Taverna Nikos, a venerable Greek restaurant in Durham, NC, now sadly closed. Recorded June 28, 2005.

1 head of tender lettuce (red leaf, bib, Boston, etc) torn in pieces
1 large ripe tomato, cut in wedges
1-1/2 lbs small new potatoes boiled, chilled, quartered
1 cucumber, peeled and cut into rectangles
1 green pepper, cut into bite-size pieces
1/2 lb feta, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
6 pepperoncini (brine-cured) seeded, halved
6 oz ripe Greek olives
1/2 c red onion, thinly sliced
1 15 oz can garbanzos (chick peas), rinsed, drained, and chilled
4 artichoke hearts, marinated in oil, quartered

Arrange attractively on a large platter and dress with best olive oil, wine vinegar, fresh or dry oregano, coarse salt & freshly-ground black pepper. Serves a large group on a buffet table.

Mezze Platter

Recorded August 10, 2011. A very satisfying, Mediterranean summer meal can be put together with minimal effort from ready-to-eat items offered in a large supermarket's deli bar. The only dishes that DrDaddy personally prepares are tabouli, zsatziki, and pita points. The others are chosen from the dozens available.
On the table, for example:

marinated mushrooms
feta cheese chunks
feta cheese cubes and ripe olives marinated in olive oil
tabouli
pita points
zsatziki
oil-cured ripe olives
stuffed green olives
pequillo peppers
roasted pepper relish
marinated artichoke hearts
dolmas (stuffed grape leaves)
hummus
fava bean salad
garbanzo bean salad
marinated cippolini onions

To make service and cleanup easy, one can present the foods in the plastic containers you brought them home in. Proletariat luxury! For more formal presentation, arrange the foods directly on fresh lettuce leaves or in small bowls and dishes.

Review: Baba Ghannouj Restaurant - Every Morsel Delicious!

Met my youngest for lunch at the restaurant located on the outskirts of RTP in one of the malls that crowd the corners of NC-54 and NC-55. Bit of a run from West Durham, but had a "pay 8, get 16" Groupon to motivate the drive.

Naturally, we sampled the buffet. Some of the best Middle Eastern food I have eaten, and I grew up on the stuff. 'Nuff said. Nice folks too. Baklava! Save room. Plenty of veg choices. Tender savory meats. Outstanding hummus. Can't eat better.

Location: 2105 NC-54 E. Unit B. Same center as Meineke Muffler. NE corner of NC-54 and NC-55.