Tarragon Chicken Salad with Champagne Grapes

For me, there are about ten “must grow” herbs in my deck potager, all of which are ready to harvest right about now. My weekly meal planning is designed around the use of these herbs, one of which is tarragon, one of my favorites in the group of “must grows.”  It's a pleasant looking little herb with thin leaves on long, graceful stems, making it a nice fill in plant in pots of flowers. It seems to enjoy very much being paired with the zinnias. 

Tarragon goes amazingly well with chicken.  I have a number of recipes combining these two, all of which are warm dishes. The other day I got to thinking that, in the same way in which it enhances a hot chicken dish, tarragon would similarly enhance a cold one, and thus added it to a batch of chicken salad. Oh my, was it good! A touch of sweetness from the champagne grapes (their small size allowing them to thoroughly intersperse with the chicken) made it darned near perfect. Heap it on a fresh croissant for a tasty sandwich, or mound it in a lettuce leaf for a light supper. Either way, you're going to love it. 

Tarragon Chicken Salad with Champagne Grapes

2 cups cubed cooked chicken
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon fresh tarragon leaves, finely chopped 
Juice from half of a small lemon
1 cup celery, diced small
1/2 cup Melissa's Champagne Grapes
Pinch of Old Bay Seasoning
Freshly ground pepper and salt to taste 

Place the mayonnaise, tarragon leaves, lemon juice, celery,  and seasonings in a medium bowl and mix until combined. Fold in chicken and grapes. Refrigerate for 2-3 hours to blend flavors. Serve. 

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Full Plate Thursday

"Champagne" Salad with Raspberry Vinaigrette

 Easy and delicious, this salad is going to be one of the most tasty that you will ever serve.  It was one of my contributions to last week’s luncheon at my dad’s house and received thumbs up all around.  The secret ingredient is the Champagne Grapes. These little gems, now in season, lurk beneath the greens just waiting to explode in your mouth with sweet, juicy deliciousness.  Everyone at the table, upon first bite, remarked about what a delicious salad it was, and then tried to figure out what made it so good and unique.  While the toothsome not-too-sweet raspberry vinaigrette certainly helps, the grapes are the real star.

Easy to assemble and customize to your own taste, here is my favorite combination of ingredients.  I don’t measure, just toss everything into a bowl until, as my grandmother used to say, “It looks right.”

Spring Greens

Thinly sliced red onion

Toasted walnuts, broken into pieces

Grated jack cheese

Champagne Grapes

Raspberry Vinaigrette

1/3 cup raspberry vinegar

¼ - ½ cup sugar (to taste)

½ teaspoon dry mustard

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

¼ teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon seasoned salt

¼ teaspoon dried oregano
Pinch of freshly ground black pepper

3 drops hot sauce

½ cup canola oil

Whisk together the first seven ingredients until combined.  Slowly pour oil into the mixture, whisking constantly to emulsify.

  

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Seasonal Sundays

Flounder with Champagne Grapes

My guess is that while a lot of you are enjoying the sweet juicy grapes of summer, you are enjoying them in their original state. Some of you may have turned them into jam or jelly, but only a small percentage probably uses them in cooking. I'd like you to change that. Grapes add a pleasant, subtle taste and hint of sweetness to many dishes.  They can turn the most basic piece of chicken or fish into an elegant meal for company. This recipe, from a 2005 issue of Gourmet magazine, took me all of ten minutes to prepare. Ten!  Clean your grapes and chop the shallots ahead of time, and your assembly will be a breeze. A side of broccoli and crusty roll make this an excellent, tasty, and healthy lunch or dinner.

Flounder with Champagne Grapes

Gourmet, October 2005

4 (6- to 7-oz) flounder or sole fillets
All-purpose flour for dredging fish
2 to 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/4 cup finely chopped shallot
2/3 cup sweet vermouth
7 oz. stemmed Melissa’s Champagne grapes (1-1/2 cups)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon pieces
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 250°F.

Rinse fish and pat dry. Season both sides of fillets with salt and pepper, then dredge in flour, shaking off excess.

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until it begins to smoke, then sauté 2 fillets, turning over once, until golden and just cooked through, about 4 minutes total. Transfer with a slotted spatula to a platter and keep warm, uncovered, in oven. Add more oil if necessary, and sauté remaining 2 fillets in same manner, transferring to platter.

Add shallot to skillet and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until softened, about 2 minutes. Add vermouth and simmer, scraping up any brown bits, 1 minute. Add grapes and cook over low heat, swirling skillet, until just heated through, 1 to 2 minutes.

Remove skillet from heat and add butter, swirling until incorporated. Add lemon juice and season sauce with salt and pepper. Spoon sauce with grapes over fish and serve immediately.

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Pan-Seared Scallops with Champagne Grapes and Almonds

When you think of grapes, my guess is that, a) champagne grapes don’t spring immediately to mind, and b) you don’t think of something savory.  You need to change these thoughts on both counts.  Champagne grapes (called such because their diminutive size resembles the bubbles in a glass of champagne) are sweet, delicious, and incredibly juicy.  They can substitute in any dish calling for grapes (as I demonstrated in my last post on Waldorf Salad), make an attractive garnish on a fruit and cheese tray, and are one of the key ingredients in this delicious, savory recipe from an old issue of Bon Appétit magazine. 

This recipe goes together in a matter of minutes.  I served it as an entrée atop angel hair pasta, but two scallops on a plate, topped with the sauce would make an excellent starter for an elegant meal.

Pan-Seared Scallops with Champagne Grapes and Almonds

16 large sea scallops, side muscles removed
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
1 1/2 tablespoons minced shallots
2/3 cup Melissa’s Champagne grapes* (about 4 ounces)

1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup sliced almonds, toasted (I substituted Hazelnuts because I find them more flavorful)
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley

Sprinkle scallops with salt and pepper.

Melt 3 tablespoons butter in very large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook butter until beginning to brown, about 2 minutes. Add scallops; cook 2 minutes per side. Transfer scallops to plate; tent with foil. Melt remaining butter in same skillet over medium-high heat. Add shallots and grapes; sauté until shallots are golden, stirring occasionally, about 2 minutes. Stir in lemon juice and any accumulated scallop juices. Bring mixture to boil; season with salt and pepper. Stir in almonds and parsley. 

*In lieu of Champagne grapes, black grapes, cut in half, may be substituted.

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