Nutty Chicken Salad

Back in the day my mother used to play bridge a couple of times a week. I don’t play bridge, but I can totally get on board with playing cards with women a couple of times a week. Different women rotated hosting the gatherings every week. There was always a signature cocktail, delicious food, dessert (naturally), and lots of conviviality. Sometimes there were prizes. What’s not to like about that? Does anyone play bridge anymore? If not, why not? Invite me! I don’t play bridge, as I mentioned, but if there is ever a Crazy Eights party, count me in!  My mother always tried to be unique and innovative with her meals. She used to tell me that she was so sick of chicken salad because that’s all anybody ever seemed to make — hot chicken salad, cold chicken salad, chicken salad on lettuce leaves, chicken salad in a pineapple boat, you name it, she ate it. As a consequence, she grew to have quite a disdain for chicken salad. Me? I love it!

I was experimenting last week and as I was making the chicken salad my eyes rested upon a large canister of mixed nuts that I had recently purchased. I wondered how the combination of cashews, almonds, pecans, hazelnuts, and pistachios would be in chicken salad. Let me tell you, it was magnificent! I loved the variety of tastes and the crunchiness, paired with the creaminess of the chicken. Winner!

Nutty Chicken Salad

2 c. cooked, cubed chicken
2 ribs celery, chopped
1 T. finely chopped Melissa’s shallot
½ c. salted mixed nuts, rough chopped
½ c. Duke’s mayonnaise
1/8 t. garlic powder
1/8 t. smoked paprika
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Place all ingredients into a medium mixing bowl. Fold together until combined. Chill 2-4 hours (preferably overnight) before serving.

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Ziti with Pistachio Cream Sauce

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April seemed two months long, May seemed two weeks long, and here we are in June. Need I tell you that I am perpetually confused? Honestly, I have no idea what day it is, least of all month. Saturday morning, when I took a look at my June calendar, I was shocked to see that, on the second, I had an appointment with my tax preparer. I was pretty busy over the weekend, as you can imagine. When I got home after the appointment, the last thing I wanted to do was cook (although, truth be told, I haven’t much been in the mood for it anyway). So, I was looking for something that would be tasty, satisfying, and on the table in 30 minutes. This was it! You can make it easy on yourself, and use absolutely any kind of pasta. While the pasta cooks, you make the sauce, and, oh, what deliciousness! The toasted pistachios give this a wonderful richness. Keep this in mind for your vegetarian friends or Meatless Monday. It’s a winner!

Ziti with Pistachio Cream Sauce

8 oz. ziti (or pasta of your choice)

¾ c. shelled pistachios

5 T. butter, divided

½ t. Melissa’s minced garlic

2 T. extra virgin olive oil

½ t. salt, or to taste

2 T. freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 c. heavy cream, warmed

½ c. freshly grated Parmesan

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add a heaping tablespoon of salt, then add pasta, and cook according to “al dente” directions on box.

While the pasta is cooking, make the sauce. In a 9” sauté pan, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter. Sauté the pistachios for 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer pistachios to a food processor (I used my mini ninja), and pulse until minced. Remove 1 tablespoon for garnish. Melt the 4 tablespoons of remaining butter, and add to the food processor, along with garlic, oil, salt, and lemon juice. Pulse again until thoroughly blended.

Pour the nut mixture back into the sauté pan, turn the heat to low, and add the warmed heavy cream and Parmesan cheese. Stir occasionally while pasta finishes cooking.

When pasta has finished cooking, reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water, drain the pasta, and immediately add to the sauté pan, tossing well to coat. Add pasta water, a little at a time, until desired creaminess is reached. Serve immediately garnished with reserved pistachios and a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese.

Heartily serves two, lightly serves four.

Salmon with Pistachio-Basil Butter

As I've mentioned before, Mr. O-P is the fish cooker in the house, at least he used to be until he decided that he was going to pass that torch to me. Always up for a challenge, I accepted, and have been happily accumulating recipes to try ever since. With the basil plants at an all-time high, some of them slapping themselves against the windows, begging for attention, I was pleased to find this recipe for grilled salmon with basil pistachio butter in the current issue of Midwest Living magazine.

Basically, it's an easy meal. I made the butter early in the day and refrigerated it to allow the flavors to blend. While the salmon was cooking, I reheated it on low and then spooned it on top of the steaming fish. I thought it was sensational!  In fact, I liked it so well that I kept thinking it would be wonderful instead of pesto on warm pasta, or absolutely sinful slathered onto a split loaf of crusty French bread. Nothing beats the taste or aroma of fresh basil, but add the peppery bite of freshly harvested garlic, the nutty goodness of toasted pistachios, and a bit of zip from the juice of a key lime and, well, sublime.

As I sat at the table, breathing in the wonderful fragrance of this fresh, summer meal, savoring every mouthful, I turned to Mr. O-P and asked him what he thought, ready to pat myself on the back for my clever selection and perfect execution of this tasty dinner. The rather grim look on his face pretty much said it all, but to emphasize he added, “It didn't hit me.”

It.

Didn't.

Hit him.

Huh.

At that moment, a scene from an old Jimmy Cagney movie (“The Public Enemy,” 1931) where he picks up a grapefruit and smashes it into his wife's face at the breakfast table came to mind. Oh, the temptation. But I just smiled and promised to leave all future fish cooking to him.

So be forewarned. If you happen to live with someone who thinks the sun rises and sets with creamy Dijon sauce atop a piece of grilled salmon, then this may not be the recipe for you. But if, like me, you savor freshly harvested herbs, juicy garlic, and toasted nuts, then you owe it to your sophisticated self to give this a try.

Grilled Salmon with Pistachio-Basil Butter

Midwest Living Magazine

1 cup lightly packed fresh basil leaves*
1/3 cup toasted pistachio nuts
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
6 tablespoons butter (no substitutes), melted
Dash salt
Dash pepper
6 6-ounce skinless salmon fillets, 1" thick
1 tablespoon cooking oil
Salt and pepper

In a food processor bowl or blender container, combine basil, pistachio nuts, lime juice, garlic, butter, and the dash salt and pepper. Cover and process or blend until basil and pistachio are finely chopped, stopping to stir as necessary. Transfer to a container; cover. For a picnic, transport along with salmon in an insulated cooler with ice packs. Cook salmon within 1 hour.

Brush both sides of the fish with the oil. Season fillets with additional salt and pepper. Grill, uncovered, directly over medium coals for 4 to 6 minutes per 1/2-inch thickness or until fish flakes easily with a fork, turning once. Serve with the Pistachio-Basil Butter. Makes 6 servings.

*If you don’t grow your own basil, then buy it, and buy organic.  I recommend Melissa’s.

This post is linked to:

Melt In Your Mouth 
Inspire Me Tuesday

Totally Tasty Tuesdays

Try a New Recipe Tuesday

Tasty Tuesdays

Wow Us Wednesday

Work It Wednesday