Basil is one of those herbs that with just one whiff, I’m transported to summer. Maybe that’s what I was thinking when I looked out my window the other dismal morning and saw this… a frozen lake with absolutely no color – only various shades of gray caused by winter hanging onto its last thread.
…but so much wanted this… a beautiful sunrise of summer.
So though it isn’t technically basil season… I had to do something to bring me to a better state of mind. Sometimes there’s nothing that basil can’t solve. As I found myself oddly identifying with the migrating mergansers searching for warmer days and food in the newly, barely open water near our shoreline…
I went on a search of my own…
…and what I found was exactly what I was looking for…in just one glorious bite…!
Summer
Chicken in Basil Cream
(Recipe from Summer on a Plate by Anna Pump and Gen LeRoy)
2 large whole chicken breasts (about 2 pounds), skin and bones removed
1/2 red onion, sliced paper thin
1/2 cup finely chopped celery
1 1/2 cups seedless green grapes, halved
Basil Cream
1 clove garlic, sliced
1 1/2 cups loosely packed fresh basil leaves, rinsed and patted dry
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 cup mayonnaise
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon sugar
1 small head red leaf lettuce, leaves separated, rinsed, and dried
Place the chicken breasts in a large saucepan, cover with cold water, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes, depending on the thickness of the breasts. Drain and cool.
Cut the chicken into bite-size pieces and place in a large bowl. Add the onion, celery, and grapes.
For the basil cream; combine the garlic, basil, and lemon juice in a food processor or blender, and process until smooth. Add the mayonnaise, salt, pepper and sugar, and pulse a few times to blend. Pour over the chicken adn mix well, to coat all.
Distribute the lettuce among four serving plates. Top each with a scoop of the chicken in basil cream and serve.
Yields 4 servings
That basil cream sounds heavenly! I need to experiment more with fresh sauces, salsas and Greek yogurt based recipes as Summer is right around the corner and the BBQ season is coming…
Thanks so much…it has such a wonderful flavor and is absolutely perfect for summer. I hope you’ll try it out!
That sounds great! Hey, they might surprise you. 🙂
This looks fantastic! I’m going to have to give it a shot and see how many of my picky eaters will eat it.