Free Range Friday

The air is still cool and delicious with the fragrance of blooms, all different, all harmoning, as I walk down to the bottom of the yard to look at the low tide water. A new orchid, gumbo limbo, two or three trees I can't identify, but with layers of honeysuckle type notes - I follow my nose, my eyes, my ears. Wind flittering the leaves, the water, sun blaring. Glory morning.


I woke up thinking about Gail's party tomorrow (Tamarindo - 10, 12, when ever you get there) and what I wanted to bring for my part of the food. Gail was a wonderful cook, often telling me in the mornings of some ridiculously complete and delicious sounding meal she'd made the night before. Sometimes it was just for herself, sometimes Eric would be on island and it would be something special he liked. Her freezer was usually full of every and anything, as I found out one year before I had my own freezer and we'd made a Sam's run, loading up on meats. As she dug around to make room she'd pull out the most extraordinary things saying, "Oh, I forgot about that...that would make a great ______." I, who do not make complete meals, just stood there, smiling at her menu plans.

So somehow I had this vague thought that I couldn't compete with something she might make herself (for example, I could have chosen a cake, a Gail specialty, but I don't think so...) , and debated the usual, potato salad or deviled eggs, or wraps, or the unusual, which whatever that might be, I won't do. I'd found a site last night called Tastespotting that literally has thousands of recipes from different food blogs, of every sort and description. It is also very easy to navigate with a wonderful search engine. Plug in something you want to use and presto, you have more recipes, with beautiful photos, than you know what to do with. And Gail was on my shoulder, grinning.

I chose the Spicy Chicken Salad ("You need a recipe for that, MJ?") that was posted on the Living Tastefully blog but which actually comes from Bon Appetite, circa 1997. There is no mayonnaise in this so it's a great non-worrisome cold salad dish for outdoors, when timing might not be a factor. Of course, around here, timing is never a big factor when it comes to eating. Or much of anything else ("Just give 'em the friggin' recipe, for god's sake!").

Spicy Chicken Salad

• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/3 cup lime juice
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 2 teaspoons chopped garlic
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 4 cups diced cooked chicken (about 1 pound)
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 3/4 cup chopped red onion
• 3/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 tablespoon chopped seeded jalapeno chili
• 4 cups chopped romaine lettuce
• 1-2 tomatoes, diced

1.  Whisk ("Whisk? Use a damn fork!") the first 5 ingredients in a large bowl to blend.  Mix in the chicken, bell pepper, onion, cilantro and chili.  Season chicken salad with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared 1 hour ahead.  Cover and refrigerate).
2.  Add the romaine lettuce to the chicken salad and toss to combine.  Garnish with the diced tomatoes.
3.  Serve the salad with warmed tortillas.  Makes 4 Servings.

Of course, if I do make it, which means making it to the market, I'll make more than that and be loose with the measuring. Who can measure for a salad? ("Am I right?" jab to the arm) But I like the idea. And I really like Tastepotting!

("You and your damn computer...let's go to the beach.")