By Marj Watkins with Suzanna Leigh
This summer is predicted to be the hottest ever! Who wants to cook when the temperature is soaring?
When she lived in the desert, Suzanna learned to do her cooking in the morning before the heat set in. So, roast a chicken in the early morning and use the meat in a chicken salad in the evening.
This classic chicken salad, often served as a zakuska (a substantial Russian hors d’oeuvre item) specialty, isn’t usually made with chicken, but traditionally with cold cooked game and vegetables. It was created by Olivier, Czar Nicholas II’s French chef, and named by the Czar in his honor.
The ingredients vary, but generally they are a rich medley combined with a flavorful sauce and garnished ornately. In the Caucasus, the salad is a restaurant specialty and served for luncheon in some city homes.
Chicken Salad
1 diced cup of cold cooked white meat of chicken
3 medium potatoes, boiled, peeled, and diced
1 cup cold green peas
6 scallions, sliced, with some green tops
½ cup mayonnaise, preferably homemade (we like the “Joy of Cooking” blender recipe)
About ½ cup sour cream (optional)
2 tbsp drained capers
1 tbsp snipped fresh dill
Salt and pepper to taste
Garnishes: Pitted black olives, tomato wedges, hard-cooked eggs
In a medium bowl, combine the chicken, potatoes, peas, and scallions. In a small bowl, mix the sour cream, mayonnaise, capers, and dill. Add to the chicken. Season with salt and pepper. Mix well. refrigerate, covered, for 4 hours, up to 8 hours. Serve shaped as a mound or pyramid on a plate or in a bowl, covered with the garnishes.
You can also serve this with Alora’s salad.
Alora’s Salad
Cut into pieces:
Cantaloupe
Cucumber
Strawberries
Dress with lemon juice, honey, mint, and basil
