Chicken and a salad: A food writer’s take on a standard
It doesn’t sound like much, but chicken cooked in a ridged cast-iron pan is my favorite dish, says Nigel Slater in A Cook’s Book (Ten Speed Press). A halved lemon is the only accompaniment needed, because “the sweet meat juices, the bitter sting of charred skin, lemon juice, and sea salt is for me the finest dinner there is.” Still, a simple sauce is nice. And you’ll want a salad, such as the one below.
Recipe of the week
Grilled chicken with za’atar and tahini 4 large skin-on chicken thighs
¼ cup olive oil
Juice of 1 medium lemon plus 2 whole lemons
2 large garlic cloves, crushed
1 tbsp za’atar
¾ cup thick yogurt
¼ cup tahini
Remove bones from chicken thighs and flatten out the meat. Place on plastic wrap and bat the thighs lightly with a rolling pin to flatten. This will help the meat cook evenly.
Combine olive oil and lemon juice. Stir in garlic and za’atar. Place chicken in marinade and let rest 40 minutes.
On medium heat, get a ridged cast-iron pan hot. Lift chicken from marinade, shaking off excess, and place in pan. Let cook until skin is golden. Turn and cook other side. Pierce thighs; they’re ready when juices run clear.
While chicken cooks, put yogurt in a bowl and stir in tahini. Mix well or leave ribbons of sesame paste marbling the yogurt.
Slice lemons in half and place cut side down on grill pan for a few minutes until warm. Let chicken rest for 5 minutes, then eat with tahini dressing and lemons. Serves 4.
Red cabbage, citrus, and cashew salad 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
3 tbsp lime juice
5 tbsp olive oil 1 tbsp light soy sauce
1¼ oz grated fresh ginger
3 tbsp light brown sugar
2 small hot chiles
½ cup cashews, roasted and salted, plus a
few to finish
20 mint leaves
20 cilantro leaves
1 grapefruit
1 large orange
9 oz finely shredded red cabbage
5¼ oz finely shredded fennel
5¼ oz celery root
9 oz beets
Put vinegar, lime juice, oil, and soy sauce in a bowl. Add ginger and sugar. Finely chop chiles (remove seeds if you like a cooler dressing) and stir in. Using a mortar and pestle, crush ½ cup cashews to a coarse powder and stir in. Stir in mint and cilantro leaves.
Remove peel and white pith from grapefruit and orange, saving any juice. Separate segments with a sharp knife and add fruit and juice to dressing.
Add cabbage and fennel. Peel celery root and beet, slice thinly, then cut into matchsticks. Toss with dressing, check seasoning, and set aside for 30 minutes or more. Add whole cashews just before serving. Serves 4.