No matter which part of the country you’re in, everyone can agree that this summer has been hot!
We
shouldn’t complain, really, given the weather we’ve had the past few
summers, but we do anyway. On the days that your shoes seem to stick to
the sidewalk, the last thing you want to do is turn on an oven and
transform your kitchen into a sweltering inferno all for the sake of
supper. So, try a cool salad instead!
If you’re craving a bit of meat, try the Three-Pea Salad with Pancetta, Parmesan and Herb Grilled Chicken. Sugar snap peas are beautiful when fresh, and have a crisp sweetness that marries wonderfully with salty Parmesan and pancetta. Pancetta, if you’ve never had it, is like a thick type of bacon, but unsmoked. And because the chicken is grilled, all you need to fire up is the barbecue.
Serves 4
Prep time: 10 min.
Cooking: 10 min.
Ingredients:
• 4 (10-inch) metal or bamboo skewers
• 1 lb chicken breast, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 20 cubes)
• 4 slices pancetta, each round cut into quarters
• 1/2 cup olive oil, plus more for oiling grill
• 3 tbsp rice vinegar
• 2 tbsp pure maple syrup
• 2 tbsp mixed fresh herbs (rosemary, tarragon, basil or other)
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt, plus more for chicken
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper, plus more for chicken
• pinch red pepper flakes
• 3 cups pea shoots (tendrils), thick stems trimmed
• 3 cups torn lettuce or spinach leaves
• 2 cups snow peas, sliced diagonally in half
• 1 cup sugar snap peas, ends trimmed, sliced diagonally in half
• 4 radishes, trimmed and thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup shaved Pecorino Romano cheese
Preparation:
- Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium-high. Arrange chicken evenly on skewers, alternating chicken pieces and pancetta slices. Season with salt and pepper; set aside.
- In a jar with a tight fitting lid, combine olive oil, rice vinegar, maple syrup, herbs, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. Seal jar with lid and shake until mixture is well blended. Divide mixture in half. Reserve one half for vinaigrette and one half for basting chicken. Oil grill and cook chicken, turning and basting occasionally with herb mixture until cooked through, about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let rest briefly before serving.
- Meanwhile, combine remaining ingredients in a large bowl and toss with some of the reserved vinaigrette until thoroughly coated. Divide greens among 4 plates and serve with a chicken skewer on top. Alternatively, chicken can be removed from skewers and served tossed with salad ingredients.
