May 29, 2020
Summer weather is finally here. After a full week of rain, I’m excited to see some sunshine. I have been going for walks daily to soak in some sun (and to get in some exercise). When I lived in New York, summertime was my favorite time of the year to head to the beach and enjoy a picnic with friends on the hot sand. We would pack some not so perishable foods with us, hop onto the bus or train and ride for as long as it takes us to get to the nearest beach. Most of the time, we would end up at Brighton Beach or Rockaway Beach. Sometimes, we would venture even further out to get to more remote areas. I always looked forward to those days where I could relax by the beach and get lost in a good book. A few summers ago, I visited my close friend, Ada, in Maine. She showed me around all of the picturesque beaches in Portland. The trip brought back fond memories of the days in our childhood where we would spend countless hours eating, chatting, and laughing while enjoying the crowded beaches in Brooklyn. I wouldn’t notice how much time has passed until I feel a slight burning sensation on my skin. The emerging sunburn would remind me to lather on more sunscreen and head back home. When I moved to Ohio, picnics at the beach were replaced with backyard cook outs. Since we’ve been restricted from nonessential gatherings, hangouts have become google hangouts. I still stay in touch with family and friends over video apps, but have been eagerly awaiting the days when I can dine out with family and friends. For now, I have continued to dine in with Kevin. Dining in has helped me challenge myself in the kitchen by cooking using only the ingredients I have on hand. One food I enjoy quite a bit during the summer is skewered veggies, fruits, and meats. My chicken satay is one of those super simple, but ultra-delicious ways to cook up some flavorful chicken. Marinating the chicken for at least 30 minutes before cooking over high heat helps impart a deep flavor into the meat. The secret to the most visually appealing chicken satay reminiscent of the ones served throughout Asia is turmeric. Turmeric imparts an earthy note and gives the satay a distinctive yellow hue. Skewered meat tastes wonderful with a refreshing salad, so I took a note from little bro’s book and tossed together a simple, refreshing middle east inspired salad. To complete the meal, I put a spin on my favorite pastry pockets and made a version featuring some of my favorite elements of s’mores. My s’mores pastry pockets were the perfect sweet treat for a summer meal. Kevin and I enjoyed the chicken satay, middle east inspired salad, and s’mores pastry pockets as we started the weekend off on a positive note. When the skies clear up outside, we may even go for a much-needed long walk.
For the chicken satay skewers:
· 2 garlic cloves, skins peeled and grated
· 1 tablespoon soy sauce
· 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
· 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
· 1 teaspoon turmeric
· ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
· 2 large chicken breasts, cut into strips
· 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil
· 1 stalk scallion, thinly sliced, for garnishing
Directions:
1) In a bowl, whisk together the grated garlic, soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, granulated sugar, turmeric, and kosher salt. Add the chicken strips. Toss the chicken strips to coat them in the marinade. Let the chicken strips sit in the marinade for 30 minutes. Soak some skewers to use for threading the chicken.
2) Heat a skillet on medium high heat. Add a tablespoon of vegetable oil. Thread the chicken strips onto the soaked skewers. Once the skillet is hot, transfer the skewered chicken strips onto the hot skillet. Cook the skewered chicken in the hot skillet for 2 minutes. Flip the skewered chicken over and cook for another 2-3 minutes on the other side. Transfer the cooked chicken skewers to a plate. Garnish with thinly sliced scallions.
For the refreshing summer salad:
· 8-10 cherry tomatoes, quartered
· ½ cucumber, diced
· ½ red onion, diced
· 6-8 sprigs of parsley, stems removed and roughly chopped
· 1 lemon, zested and juiced
· ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
· ¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
Directions:
1) In a bowl, toss together the quartered cherry tomatoes, diced cucumber, diced red onion, chopped parsley, lemon zest and juice, kosher salt, and black pepper. Chill the salad for 30 minutes in the refrigerator prior to serving to allow the flavors to blend together.
For the s’mores pastry pockets:
Follow the steps for making my pastry pockets here. I used a heart-shaped cookie cutter to cut out hearts from my rolled-out pie dough, but feel free to cut the dough into squares. For the filling, I sprinkled some ground cinnamon onto the dough and topped the dough with melted bittersweet chocolate and mini marshmallows.
Takeaways: The chicken satay can be served as is or with a peanut sauce. The s’mores pastry pockets do take some time to put together. I started with making the pastry pockets first, followed by the refreshing salad, and ended with the chicken satay. All of the dishes can be prepared ahead of time and brought along to serve at a picnic.