KICK-BUTT SELF-DEFENSE: Lori Hartman Gervasi, author

From the kitchen of chef James Kelly
Spring Break Chicken
(serves 4)
Ingredients
2 whole chickens (small) farm-raised
if available. Remove breasts
leaving the first joint of wing
attached.
Chicken consume or broth —
homemade using left over
chicken parts or store bought
olive oil
Assorted vegetables; carrots, onions,
snap peas, (or your choice),
sauteed or steamed
Rice paper
Mashed potatoes
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Pre heat oven to 500 degrees.
Season chicken on all sides with salt
and pepper. Heat a large saute pan
and coat with olive oil, add chicken
breasts to sear. Place pan with
chicken breasts in oven for about 14
minutes or until fully cooked.
Remove from oven and let rest
about 5 minutes, then slice on the
bias in 2 or 3 pieces. To finish, fan
chicken over a scoop of the sauteed
or steamed veggies, slightly off
center in a shallow soup bowl.
Place a small scoop of mashed
potatoes next to chicken. Next to the
potatoes, prop an 8-inch length of
curved clear plastic tubing, 1 inch
diameter. Fill tube with hot
consomme or broth using a small
funnel. Break rice paper disk in half
and prop askew over chicken breast
with bottom corner of rice paper
secured in mashed potatoes. Invite
guests to pour consume from hose
over the rice paper, which will
soften and appear translucent
(much like a wet T-shirt contest).
Tangerine Panna Cotta
Ingredients
2 tangerines (zested)
1 quart heavy cream
1 tablespoon powdered gelatin
3 tablespoons cold water
¼ cup sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla
Directions
Add gelatin slowly to cold water
and stir to combine. Let sit three
minutes to bloom. Add sugar,
vanilla and tangerine zest to cream.
Bring cream to scalding and add
bloomed gelatin mixture, stir. Strain
cream through a fine mesh strainer
and pour mixture into eight
ramekins or heat-proof glasses.
Cool in refrigerator uncovered until
just set (about 30 minutes). Then
cover with plastic wrap and chill
thoroughly. Squeeze the juice from
the zested tangerines and pour over
each panna cotta. Finish with
whipped cream and a fresh mint
leaf for garnish.
Spring Salad
This recipe is fully adjustable to
your own liking — as most recipes
should be.
Go to a local farm stand or
farmers market and pick up spring
greens, new potatoes, haricot verts
(petite green beans), onions, carrots,
broccoli, cauliflower or whatever
you like.
Cut the veggies into bite-sized
pieces. Boil them in heavily
seasoned water for a couple of
minutes separately, then immerse
them in ice water. This will set the
vibrant, beautiful color of your
veggies and take away their
rawness while leaving a nice snap.
Lay veggies out on a cookie sheet
and season to taste with salt and
pepper.
For dressing, pick a flavor that
you like and that will go with the
other flavors in the salad.
Put the flesh in the blender with
about ¼ cup vinegar. Add a pinch
of fresh garlic, some salt and
pepper, a squeeze of honey and a
teaspoon of dijon mustard, then
blend on low for a minute.
Open the top of the blender and
drizzle in about twice as much olive
oil as there is vinegar. Then check it
— if it’s too thick add a couple drops
of water and blend, if it’s too thin,
add more oil. It should coat the back
of a spoon and hold a line when a
spoon is drawn through it. If the
taste is too spicy or acidic add a
little more honey, too sweet add
vinegar. To finish: toss your greens
in just enough dressing to coat. Lay
greens on plate and dot with
veggies, or toss everything together
and mound high in a shallow bowl
but make sure to place some of the
colorful veggies on top for eye
appeal. If you like nuts, now would
be a good time. A nice salty cheese
would finish this off beautifully.
may 09 | inlandlivingmagazine.com | 33