There are two things I need to make an incredible dinner – a stocked pantry and farm-fresh inspiration!
This week brought a rainbow of veggies to the farm stand. I used them to create a chopped summer salad with a tomato vinaigrette. I added grilled lemon chicken for protein, plus some crumbled feta and oil-cured olives for salt and tang.
Tonight’s cocktail is a fan favorite! LunaGrown Pear Jam “Bee’s Knees”
Combine in a cocktail shaker over ice: 2 oz gin, 1 oz fresh lemon juice, 1/2 oz elderflower liqueur, 2-3 t LunaGrown Pear jam. Shake very well, then strain into a coupe glass. Garnish with a lemon wedge.
Chopped Summer Salad
In a bowl, combine sliced cucumber, diced green pepper, chunks of fresh tomato, and sliced onion. Add in a handful of chopped fresh parsley and mint and toss with tomato vinaigrette.
Grilled Lemon Chicken
Cut a lemon in half and place, cut side down, on a grill or grill pan. Grill for several minutes until the cut side has some dark grill marks. Remove from grill and set aside.
Season chicken strips/cutlets/tenders with a bit of olive oil, the juice of grilled lemon, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and dried oregano. Grill chicken until done then serve with salad and an additional squeeze of lemon juice.
To assemble: Fill a bowl with the chopped salad, top with chicken, crumbled feta, and olives. Drizzle additional vinaigrette over the top
Tomato Vinaigrette
Ingredients
1 small tomato, halved and seeded, then grated on a box grater (about 1/2 c pulp)
2–3 T red wine vinegar
2 t Dijon mustard
2 t honey
4– 6 T olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Whisk the first 4 ingredients together in a small bowl, then slowly add in the oil. Taste for seasoning.