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Menu Plan for Summer II: Week 3, Saturday

Chilled Lettuce Soup
Grilled Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce
Sesame Brown Rice
Crisp Green Beans

Cooking time:  40 minutes for menu      Cooking schedule: see below for instructions

        Grilled gingery chicken breasts with a peanut sauce you can make as hot as you like, served with an Asian-inspired brown rice and a crisp Chinese Bean Salad.  To serve, mound the rice in the middle of a platter, lay the skewered chicken on top and surround with the beans; Peanut Sauce on the side.  This is perfect to expand for a summer party.  The soup can be made earlier in the day, refrigerated and served cold.

Chilled Lettuce Soup

Total time: 25 minutes
   Why not?  We make soup of cabbage, spinach and other greens.  Lettuce Soup is a bit more delicate, depending on what types of lettuce used.  I would suggest using dark green varieties and not adding any purple - it could be a strange color.  It can be made ahead and served cold, straight from the fridge.  I used the outer leaves of heads intended for later in the week. 

 Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups (12oz, 360ml) chicken stock
• 4 cups shredded lettuce, loosely packed  reserve a bit for garnish
• 1 - 2 tbs fresh tarragon, chopped
• 1 small - medium potato about 1/2 cup chopped
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 1 tbs olive oil
• 4 tsp plain or Greek yogurt, or sour cream
• 2 slices bacon, fried crisp and crumbled

 Instructions:

• Heat oil in saucepan and sauté onion for 2 minutes.
• Add potato, stock and bring to a boil.  Cover and simmer 15 minutes.
• Uncover the saucepan and stir in the lettuce and tarragon. 
• When lettuce has wilted (almost immediately) remove from heat and  purée in a blender. 
• Set aside to cool to room temperature or refrigerate for colder.
• Fry bacon until crisp. 
• Remove, drain on paper towel and crumble. 
• When ready to serve ladle soup into bowls, dollop 2 tsp of yogurt onto each serving, sprinkle with bacon, a bit more shredded lettuce and serve.

Grilled Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce

Total time: 35 minutes
   Fresh ginger adds a bit of heat and a lot of flavor to this chicken.  You can substitute 1/2 tsp ground ginger if you don't have fresh; and add more if you like the heat.  For a hotter dish you could add crushed red pepper, Asian chili sauce or even Tabasco to the marinade and/or the peanut sauce.

 Ingredients:

• 2 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless
• 2 tbs lemon juice
• 2 tbs soy sauce
• 1 tbs brown sugar
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 tbs fresh ginger, peeled and minced about 3 slices the size of an American quarter or 1 euro coin
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 2 - 4 skewers
• Warm Peanut Sauce:
• 1/3 cup peanut butter
• 2 tbs snipped fresh chives
• 1 tbs snipped fresh parsley
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tbs olive oil
• 2 tsp soy sauce
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp brown sugar
• 1/3 cup (3oz, 90ml) chicken stock

 Instructions:

• Soak skewers in warm water while preparing chicken and making marinade.
• Cut chicken breast into long strips, 3 or 4 from each breast. 
• Thread the meat the long way onto the skewers, (sort of pleating it). 
• Mix the rest of the ingredients in a small bowl. 
• Place chicken skewers into a baking dish and pour marinade over.
•  Allow to marinade for 20 - 40 minutes. 
• When ready, remove from marinade and grill over direct heat for 8 - 10 minutes.  Can also be done under the broiler (grill) for same amount of time. 
• Or, you could skip the skewers and stir-fry them in 1 tbs olive oil and 1 tsp sesame oil. 
• Serve with Peanut Sauce on the side.
• Warm Peanut Sauce:
• Heat oils in small saucepan.
• Add chives and chili powder and sauté briefly. 
• Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil, stirring well to combine. 
• Remove from heat and cover to keep warm.

Sesame Brown Rice

Total time: 20 minutes    or whatever your package says  
    I use 'Uncle Ben's' which is all I can get and it is quick cooking.  It looks like brown Basmati and cooks in 15 minutes.

 Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup (3.3oz, 95gr) quick-cooking brown rice   substitute Basmati
• 1 cup (8oz, 240ml) chicken stock   or whatever your rice calls for
• 1/2 tsp sesame or walnut oil
• 2 tsp soy sauce
• 2 tsp toasted sesame seeds

 Instructions:

• Cook rice according to package instructions stirring in the sesame oil, soy sauce and seeds when rice is almost done.
• Fluff and serve.

Note: You can toast regular sesame seeds in a small, dry, skillet over medium heat for 5 - 7 minutes, until light brown.

Crisp Green Beans with Soy Sauce

Total time: 15 minutes
  I originally found this recipe using asparagus in a Chinese cook book but it works well for green beans, too, and is perfect this time of year.

 Ingredients:

• 6oz (180gr) green beans
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 tsp sesame or walnut oil
• 2 tsp soy sauce
• 1 tbs fresh chives, snipped

 Instructions:

• Top and tail beans.  Cut in 1 1/2" (3.25cm) lengths. 
• Bring a medium saucepan half full of water to a boil over high heat.  
• Add beans and blanch for 4 minutes, until crisp-tender. 
• Drain beans and immediately submerge in an equal amount of very cold water. 
• Drain again, spread out on paper towels and pat dry. 
• Put into a serving bowl. 
• In small bowl whisk together the oils and soy sauce. 
• Pour over beans, sprinkle with chives and stir to combine. 
• Serve.

Cooking Schedule: 40 minutes Assemble all food, utensils and serving dishes Utensils: measuring cups, spoons, knives, scissors, small bowl, (used 2X) 2 small saucepans, lids, 2 medium saucepans, one lid, medium bowl (used 2X), small skillet, marinating dish, skewers, barbecue grill and grill pan or large skillet, blender Soak skewers in warm water Chop onion/shallot, sauté Chop potato Add potato, stock to onion, cover, simmer Make marinade for chicken Slice chicken, thread onto skewers Pour marinade over chicken, turning to coat Put water on high heat for beans Top and tail beans, cut Fill medium bowl with very cold water for beans Blanch beans Whisk oils, soy sauce for beans Snip all herbs Drain beans, plunge into cold water, drain again

Spread beans on paper towels to dry Shred lettuce, (reserve a bit) add rest to soup Add tarragon to soup Purée soup, ladle into bowls, allow to cool / refrigerate Sauté bacon Turn on/light barbecue grill Add beans, chives to dressing, stir Turn bacon Sauté chili powder, chives for peanut sauce Add remaining ingredients, heat to boiling Cover sauce, remove from heat Remove bacon, crumble Start to cook rice Garnish soup, serve Done? Start to cook chicken Check rice, if close stir in soy, sesame oil, seeds Turn chicken Fluff rice put onto platter Arrange beans around rice Remove chicken, lay on rice Serve all, Peanut Sauce on the side

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