Gluten Freebird

Internet, I am completely remiss for not updating this blog. Time has gotten totally away from me with deadlines and happenings.

For one thing, meet Copernicus, a whirling dervish disguised as a kitten.

He’s a total lover until he sees Culpepper, my gentle, sweet, bath-offering cat. At that point, his little ears become horns.

But that’s a story for another day.

Today, let’s talk about my favorite Sunday recipe.

I think of Sunday dinner as a time to make something that can be revamped into palatable lunches (think about things that can become a salad mix-in, for example). Roast chicken is a good one.

We like to scout out chickens at the farmers market or on romps to Polyface or Locke Store (which I will def. blog about later). It’s a creamy, comforting chicken dish that blends flavor profiles, textures, and some very bright, seasonal colors. The beets lend a nice acid to the dish, while the walnuts round out the flavor. You can mix up the greens to add spice from some mizuna or temper it with spinach.

As delicious as it is the first night, it’s better over arugula the next day. Gluteneer and I like to fight over leftovers.

This traditional Turkish chicken salad in a light, creamy walnut-and-garlic sauce supposedly got its name because its color resembles the pale complexions of the Circassian beauties in the sultan’s harem during the Ottoman Empire. Defne Koryürek serves her version here with a refreshing salad of baby arugula and roasted beets in a vinegary dressing.

Delicious enough to make me ignore the cat pursuits whizzing by.

Circassian Chicken Salad with Beets

(Adapted from Food & Wine)
Makes 6 Servings

One whole chicken (approximately 4 lbs)
1 onion, quartered
1 carrot, halved (I sometimes use several baby carrots)
6 black peppercorns
Water
1 lb. medium beets, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch wedges
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
4 tsp red wine vinegar
One 1-ounce slice gluten-free bread, toasted (I prefer brown rice bread)
2/3 cup walnuts
1 small garlic clove
1 tsp. Aleppo pepper or ancho chile powder
4 ounces baby arugula, mizuna, tatsoi or other green

Put the whole chicken, quartered onion, carrot, and peppercorns in a large soup pot and add enough water to cover the chicken. Bring to a boil, skimming off any scum with a spoon. Simmer until the chicken is cooked, about 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400°. Put the beet wedges in a medium baking dish with the 2 tbs of olive oil and 1/4 cup of water. Season with salt and pepper. Cover with foil and roast for about 1 hour, until the beets are very tender. Let cool. Stir the vinegar and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil into the pan juices.

After the 45 minutes, carefully remove the chicken from the pot and pull the meat from the bones; discard the skin. Return the bones to the pot and simmer for 30 minutes longer.

Shred the chicken and transfer it to a bowl. Strain the chicken broth from the soup pot. Reserve 1 cup and save the rest for another use. Add the toasted bread to the broth and let stand until softened.

In a blender or food processor, pulse the walnuts with the garlic until finely chopped. Add the soaked bread with a tbs. of the broth and puree until creamy and smooth. If necessary, add a few extra tbs of broth until the sauce is the consistency of whipping cream. Season with salt and pepper. Stir the sauce into the chicken and season with salt and pepper.

In a small skillet, heat the remaining 2 tbs of olive oil with the Aleppo pepper over moderate heat until fragrant, about 1 minute. Drizzle the spicy oil over the chicken salad.
Arrange the arugula on a platter and top with the beets and their dressing. Spoon the chicken salad alongside.