Chinese Chicken Salad -- at long last!

I've been meaning to post this recipe for such a long time, primarily because it is such an important recipe for our family.  My mother originally got the recipe from one of the dental hygienists who  worked in my dad's office.  She gave us some other recipes at the same time, but this is the one that took on a life of its own.

The first "tradition" associated with this recipe was making it on houseboat trips to Lake Shasta. This salad, along with a glass of white wine, served around sunset, became a tradition unto itself. I wasn't old enough to be drinking the white wine, but having this salad as a special meal became deeply rooted in my psyche.

Another fond memory of this salad was bringing it along with a batch Carrot-Ginger-Orange soup in a thermos to have as a kind of picnic with friends in their car one evening on Mount Baldy., right before they moved away from Claremont to Virginia.  We ended up moving there ourselves, but we didn't know that at the time.

And, last but certainly not least, is having this salad every summer with those same friends when we share a cottage at Popham Beach in Maine.  We've made this salad for whoever is coming to dinner, and everyone enjoys it very, very much.

I contributed this recipe (plus another which I will post at another time) to a family cookbook for the Nysmith School, back when my daughter was in pre-K.  That cookbook is the reason why I have this written down, rather than just winging it all the time.  I used to have a sticky note on my fridge with the ingredients for the salad dressing, but that was in Ashburn, Virginia but that sticky note is long lost.

My husband likes to say that this: recipe is a little like performance art: easily put together, all too quickly consumed, but very memorable for all who are present.  I made this on Friday for a Mills College Summer Send-off for the Santa Barbara area.  There are 17 new and current students in the area from Santa Maria to Camarillo.  Here's to the start of some new traditions!

Chinese Chicken Salad

Ingredients:
For the salad:
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 package wonton wrappers
2 cups vegetable oil (for frying)
3 heads of romaine lettuce, leaves separated and washed
1/2 cup cilantro, coarsely chopped

Dressing
3 tbs. rice vinegar
3 tbs. sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. MSG (optional - the original recipe included this, but we don't use it)
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp. dark sesame oil
Toasted sesame seeds, for garnish.

Preparation:

1. To poach the chicken (note: this technique is from James McNair's Chicken, a book I highly recommend), place the chicken breast in a large flat saucepan, with just enough water to cover.  Bring the water to a boil, immediately reduce the heat to a low simmer, and cook until the chicken breast is tender when pierced but still moist inside, about 12 minutes. Remove breasts from the poaching liquid to prevent overcooking. Alternatively, bring the water just to a boil, remove the pot from the heat, immerse the breasts in the liquid, and let stand covered for about 20 minutes.
2. Cut the wonton wrappers into 1/4 inch strips.  Separate strands.  Heat oil on stove top over medium-high heat.  Fry a handful of wonton strips at a time, turning occasionally until light golden brown (watch carefully!).  Drain on paper towels.
3. To make the dressing: mix all the ingredients in a small bowl and whisk thoroughly.  Alternately, combine ingredients in a small jar, and shake vigorously.
4. When ready to assemble, stack the romaine leaves and slice into 1/2 inch thick slices. Place in serving bowl.  Add chicken and fried wonton strips, then add dressing.  Toss salad, sprinkle with sesame seeds, and serve immediately.

It has been quite a long time between posts.  I've gotten a new job - not a consulting gig, but a full-time, permanent position and it has made a big difference.

Last weekend, we went to the Pioneer Picnic in Santa Maria with my in-laws. This is an annual event sponsored by the Santa Maria Valley Pioneer Association (see this article from the local paper for further information).  We had attended this event two years ago, so this time we were familiar with how it is organized, and what it makes sense to bring.  You have to provide your own plates, napkins, and utensils.  The menu consists of barbecued tri-tip, beans, green salad, and garlic toast.  Anything else you want to eat, you have to bring yourself.

We decided to bring a pasta salad (see the recipe below), and some brownies.  Due to my father-in-law's health, we weren't certain till the night before that he'd feel well enough to attend.  This accounts for the lack of advance planning and shopping beforehand.  As a result, in the morning of the picnic, I was working from what we had readily available, and this fact (rather necessity) was my inspiration.

We always keep a box of Ghirardelli brownie mix in the house, based on years of bake sale experiences. Side note: I was one of the few mothers who always made something (even using a mix) rather than buying something at the market on the way to school.  I can whip up a batch of brownies in record time!  Anyway, we recently tried layering some homemade plum jam in between the brownie batter, basically dividing the batter in half, using some thinned down jam on top, then adding the other half of the batter over the jam. This technique makes a wonderful brownie!

The pasta salad took a similar route.  First, we decided what shape of pasta we wanted to use.  Then, I took a look through through my pantry cabinet to see what would be a nice add-in.  Finally, a browse through the refrigerator to see what would be the basis for the dressing.  I wanted a vinaigrette style rather than a mayonnaise based dressing since it would sitting outdoors. The resulting pasta salad ended up with the colors of the Italian flag: red, white and green.

Pantry Pasta Salad

Ingredients:

1 lb. pasta, cooked according to package directions
Approximately 8 sun-dried tomatoes halves, cut into small dice (yielding 3 tbs.), reconstituted in hot water
1/2 sweet onion, diced
2 tbs. butter
1/2 tsp. Trader Joe's Everyday Seasoning
1 cup cooked chicken breast, cut into large dice
2/3 cup frozen peas
3 tbs. prepared pesto
4 tbs. prepared vinaigrette (I used Newman's Own Olive Oil and Vinegar)
2 tbs. shredded Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

1. Cook pasta according to package directions.  Drain thoroughly.  
2. Add the drained pasta to a large bowl.  Toss with a bit of olive oil, then set aside.
3. In a small saute pan, melt the butter over medium heat.  Add the diced onion and sun-dried tomatoes. Saute the mixture until the onions are translucent.
4. Add the onion mixture, cooked chicken and peas to the pasta.
5. Add the prepared pesto and the vinaigrette to the bowl, then the Parmesan cheese.  Mix thoroughly. 
6. Taste for seasoning.  
7. Store in the refrigerator just until time for transport (in our case) or serving.

Makes 8 servings.

Additional thoughts: if I was doing this recipe again, I might add some nice olives, or some arugula. Either or both would make a nice addition to the ingredients listed.