Palmilla, Los Cabos, Mexico
After an extended weekend in this beautiful place, it's hard to get back into the swing of things. Frankly it just wasn't "extended" long enough. It was an amazing weekend with great friends, plenty of great food and endless laughter. It's never easy to leave paradise, but I guess that makes returning that much more pleasurable. While I could dive right into several top moments, I'll spare you the painful "you had to be there" scenarios and tip you off on a couple crowd pleasing recipes I attacked this weekend. Turns out, forgetting that your Farmer's Market produce won't survive the week without you, ends up benefitting you and your snacking, traveling buddies. These sandwiches were great picnicking items for our plane ride down to Cabo. Enjoy! (Photos and Recipes thanks to Big Girls Small Kitchen) Hope your weeks have been going well! Sending each of you a bit of sunshine from south of the border! xx
Makes 8 sandwiches
For the Chicken Salad:
1 rotisserie chicken, all meat removed (dark and white) and shredded
1 cup pesto (see below for basic recipe, or use store bought)
3 tbsp mayonnaise
salt to taste
For the Sandwich:
2 loaves ciabatta, cut in half lengthwise
3 oz baby arugula
8 sun-dried tomatoes (preferably packed in olive oil), thinly sliced
1 lb cow’s-milk or buffalo mozzarella, torn into rustic chunks
Combine all ingredients for the chicken salad in a bowl. Taste for seasoning. This can be done one or two days before.
NOTE: if you’re using store-bought pesto, the flavor profile might be slightly different. When you taste for seasoning, if it lacks acidity or tastes rather dull, add a squeeze or two of lemon juice to punch up the flavors.
Preheat a broiler or toaster oven. Brush the ciabatta with olive oil and toast until golden brown but not hard. Allow to cool slightly, then place the bottom half of each loaf on a sheet of plastic wrap. Spread the chicken salad evenly between the two slices, top with the mozzarella, sundried tomatoes, and a handful of arugula. Place the tops on the sandwiches and cut each into four even pieces.
Secure the plastic wrap tightly around the two loaves, and then wrap each in tin foil. Store in a cooler, or keep shaded until time to eat.
Preheat a broiler or toaster oven. Brush the ciabatta with olive oil and toast until golden brown but not hard. Allow to cool slightly, then place the bottom half of each loaf on a sheet of plastic wrap. Spread the chicken salad evenly between the two slices, top with the mozzarella, sundried tomatoes, and a handful of arugula. Place the tops on the sandwiches and cut each into four even pieces.
Secure the plastic wrap tightly around the two loaves, and then wrap each in tin foil. Store in a cooler, or keep shaded until time to eat.
Basic Basil Pesto
Makes about 1 cup
Ingredients
1 garlic clove
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
2 cups basil leaves
½ – 1 lemon, juiced
¼ cup olive oil
1/4 cup grated parmesan
salt to taste
In a small food processor pulse the garlic and the pinenuts until finely chopped. Add the basil leaves and the lemon juice and blend until the basil has begun to break down. Add the olive oil in a gentle stream, blending until the mixture is smooth and at your desired consistency.
NOTE: If making the pesto exclusively for the chicken salad, use less oil for a coarser mixture than you ordinarily would. This will keep the salad from making your bread soggy while retaining all the good pesto flavor.
Fold in the parmesan and taste for seasoning. Add salt and extra lemon juice for acidity as needed.
Makes about 1 cup
Ingredients
1 garlic clove
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
2 cups basil leaves
½ – 1 lemon, juiced
¼ cup olive oil
1/4 cup grated parmesan
salt to taste
In a small food processor pulse the garlic and the pinenuts until finely chopped. Add the basil leaves and the lemon juice and blend until the basil has begun to break down. Add the olive oil in a gentle stream, blending until the mixture is smooth and at your desired consistency.
NOTE: If making the pesto exclusively for the chicken salad, use less oil for a coarser mixture than you ordinarily would. This will keep the salad from making your bread soggy while retaining all the good pesto flavor.
Fold in the parmesan and taste for seasoning. Add salt and extra lemon juice for acidity as needed.
Makes about 5-6 sandwiches
2 medium eggplant, quartered and cut into 1/4 inch slices
2 medium red onions, quartered and cut into 1/4 inch slices
1/4 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 lemon, juiced
2 tablespoons chives (optional)
1 loaf fresh sourdough or country white bread, cut into 1/2-inch slices (about 10)
1/2 cup chive or basil pesto
1 cup white bean spread (recipe follows)
Preheat the oven to 450°F.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the eggplant, onion, olive oil and salt. Toss until fully coated, and then turn out onto a parchment or foil-lined baking sheet. Shake the pan to make sure the vegetables lie flat and have the maximum possible surface area exposed.
Roast in the oven for 20 minutes. With a spatula, redistribute the vegetables so they brown on the opposite side, and return to the oven for another 10-20 minutes, until the vegetables are dark brown and caramelized.
Remove to a bowl and toss with the lemon juice and chives, if using. (Eggplant can be make up to 2 days in advance).
Lay 6 slices of bread on a work surface. Slather each with pesto, and divide the eggplant among the slices. Slather the remaining bread with the white bean spread, and top the sandwiches.
If traveling, wrap each individual sandwich in foil and take with you to your picnic.
White Bean Spread
Makes 2 cups
You can use the excess spread as a dip for crudites, or slather it on crusty bread and serve as a crostini.
Ingredients
One 15-ounce can cannelloni or white beans
Juice of 1/2 lemon
2 teaspoons fresh rosemary or thyme leaves (optional)
1 garlic clove
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
In a small food processor or blender, puree the beans, lemon juice, herbs (if using), garlic, olive oil and salt. Add another tablespoon of olive oil if the mixture is still coarse, and puree until smooth.
Ingredients
One 15-ounce can cannelloni or white beans
Juice of 1/2 lemon
2 teaspoons fresh rosemary or thyme leaves (optional)
1 garlic clove
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
In a small food processor or blender, puree the beans, lemon juice, herbs (if using), garlic, olive oil and salt. Add another tablespoon of olive oil if the mixture is still coarse, and puree until smooth.
{a la mode PS} Some personal tips for these items: Making the pesto and white bean dip ahead of time saves you so much work on the day of your event. I made this pesto days before, when my fresh basil wasn't so fresh anymore, froze it and still had some left over in my freezer trays. Also this bean dip goes great with any left over bread or veggies you have post sandwich assembly.
YUM! :)
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