Summer stone-fruit; Chicken & Nectarine Salad
At this time of year stone-fruit is available in abundance and is at it’s very best. So one should make the most of it! I love to use stone-fruit in all sorts of dishes - not just for dessert (although here is a great roasted nectarine recipe). Using fruit in salads and salsa’s adds a lovely summery, fresh tang to a dish.
Chicken and Nectarine Salad
A salad like this is easy to prepare. Use cooked chicken from the supermarket although freshly cooked chicken is desirable (recipe to cook chicken below).
The assembly of the salad is important so maximum visual impact is achieved.
Ingredients:
2 cooked chicken breasts, sliced thinly across the grain
2 nectarines (preferably free stone) halved and cut into segments
1 red pepper, sliced
2 or 3 spring onions, finely sliced on a diagonal
1 packet green beans, cooked until just tender and quickly refreshed in cold water
1-2 courgettes, cut into ‘ribbons’ using a peeler
Lots of fresh coriander or basil, coarsely chopped
Dressing
2 tbsp soy sauce,
1 tbsp fish sauce,
2 tbsp peanut oil or rice bran oil
About 2.5 cm pice fresh ginge , grated
crushed clove garlic (optional )
1 finely chopped chilli .
1 tsp brown sugar or honey
Juice 1 lime or lemon to taste (or sometimes I use 1-2 tbsp white wine vinegar)
Combine ingredients together whisking well
Taste and add additional seasoning if necessary
Method:
To cook the chicken:
Preheat oven 180 degrees fanbake
Place 4 free range chicken breasts in a non reactive bowl.
Add grated rind and juice 1 lemon, 3 tbsp olive oil, and season well with New Zealand sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Toss chicken breasts well.
Preheat a heavy fry pan. Sear chicken breasts in pan, with cut side of the breast facing upwards
After a minute or so turn and repeat (the idea is to seal the meat without browning it as you would with steak)Place breasts in medium sized low sided baking dish and place in the oven. Cook approximately 10-12 minutes depending on the size of the breasts....sometimes they will take longer. Chicken is cooked when juice is clear
Leave to rest for about 30 mins and then refrigerate. Use the accumulated juices in the dressing for the salad.
To arrange salad:
Layer salad ingredients on one of those large platters you have hopefully been given for Christmas. ie beans, sliced chicken, nectarines, peppers, spring onions and coriander drizzle with dressing
Repeat as above, drizzle with dressing and then toss over remaining coriander
For a more substantial meal, serve the salad with cooked noodles.
Hints:
When arranging a salad like this, choose a large platter, and generously pile up the salad......The dish looks more appealing.
Always keep some fresh herbs back to garnish the platter prior to serving, after the last drizzle of dressing.....the dressing ‘flattens’ the look of the herbs
Summer blooming in Hester’s garden…
Photography by Pippa Marffy