Thursday, August 21, 2008

'AFTERNOON DELIGHT' ~ LAYERED COBB SALAD / LEMON SCONES

"Summer afternoon - summer afternoon;
to me those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language."
~Henry James
'BEE ~ UTIFUL'
(Bee kiss ... Japanese Anenome)
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LAYERED COBB SALAD
~ 'Delightful presentation in a glass bowl ... same 1920s true ingredients in a, 'kick-it-up-a-notch', layered look originally adapted from Gourmet (June 2002)
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DRESSING:

3 Tbsp. red wine vinegar

juice from 1 fresh lemon (reserve zest)

2 tsp. Dijon mustard

1 clove minced garlic

1/2 tsp. coarse salt

1/2 tsp. sugar

1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

SALAD:

3 skinless boneless chicken breast halves (1 1/4 lb.)

2 California avocados

8 cups romaine (cut crosswise into 1/2 inch wide slices)

6 chopped crisp bacon slices

3 seeded and cut (1/2 inch pieces) fresh tomatoes

3-4 oz. crumbled Roquefort cheese

2 bunches stemmed watercress

2 (forced through sieve) hard-boiled eggs

1/4 cup finely chopped chives

zest of 1 lemon

  • DRESSING: Whisk together all dressing ingredients except oil. Add oil in slow stream until emulsified.
  • SALAD: Bring 5 cups water to simmer in 2-quart saucepan; simmer chicken, uncovered, 6 minutes. Remove from heat, cover, and let stand until chicken is cooked through, about 15 minutes. Transfer chicken to cutting board and cool completely. Cut int 1/2- inch cubes.
  • Halve, pit, and peel avocados and cut into 1/2-inch cubes.
  • spread romaine over bottom of 6-8 quart glass bowl. Top with even layer of chicken. Sprinkle bacon over chicken and layer with tomatoes, cheese (to taste), avocados, watercress, eggs, chives, and lemon zest.
  • Just before serving, pour dressing over salad and toss; or allow guests to dish up and add dressing as desired.

______________________

LEMON SCONES

~ Delicious with strawberry, plum, raspberry or black currant preserves.

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2 1/2 cups flour

1 Tbsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

8 Tbsp. cup up cold unsalted butter

1 Tbsp. freshly grated lemon peel

1/4 cup sugar

2/3 cup milk

2 tsp. fresh lemon juice

2 Tbsp. sugar

  • Preheat oven to 425-degrees.
  • Combine flour, baking powder, lemon zest, and salt in large bowl. Cut butter into flour mixture with pastry blender or rub wit fingers until mixture resembles fine granules. Add sugar and mix.
  • Add milk and stir with fork until soft dough forms. Shape dough into ball and gently knead on lightly floured board (10-12 kneads).
  • Cut dough in half. Knead each half lightly into a ball an turn smooth side up. Pat or roll into a 6--inch circle. Cut each circle into 6-8 wedges. Place on ungreased cookie sheet, slightly apart for crisp edges or touching for soft sides.
  • Combine 2 tsp. lemon juice with 2 Tbsp. sugar. Sprinkle over top.
  • Bake about 12 minutes or until medium brown on top. Place on dish towel over wire rack; cover loosely with cloth and cool completely before serving.


Makin' Whoopee'

11 comments:

beckie said...

Delightful! The bees are evidently enjoying the summer afternoon also.

Joey, about every other post, I can't get the comment section to come up. With I click on it it gives a grunt sound??

beckie said...

Me again, The scones sound wonderful-I have been looking for a good recipe. Thanks!

RURAL said...

I can't wait to make both of these recipes. Actually I have been drooling over all of them.
Lemon scones......sigh.
Jen

joey said...

Beckie, I had to laugh. After a 'crazy' morning, I visited the garden and saw it in the same 'crazy' state ... bees everywhere, mating, 'crazed' in rapture. I grabbed (my new camera) and joined in on the fun, focusing on the anemone, an August gift.

... wonder if others are having problems with the 'grunt' comment issue. I must admit, I'm not too technical in that regard. I simply post ... thanks for the flag and let me know if you have further problems.

So lets 'nibble scones' and figure out what life is all about :)

Jen, wished you lived closer and we could enjoy this treat together. Salad and lunch in the garden, a summer gift :)

Anonymous said...

No grunts from here in NC;) Oh Joey--love the photos and the fact you got a new camera!! So happy for you and us. You will never believe that I was listening to... Connie Talbot sing I Will Always Love you!!! If you haven't heard that---You Tube it. She is an incredible 6 year old. Perfect background music for the Birds and Bees!

joey said...

Anna, I love my new camera (much to learn, which I enjoy). You are so kind to be concerned with all going on in your FULL life. I have heard Connie sing 'I Will Always Love You' ... amazing! (My hubby blocks his ears when I say it's one of my funeral songs)

Mireille said...

Dear Joey, when I see your photos it's like I'm looking at my own garden!!!
This year I have lots of Japan anemones and the bees love them, too!!!!
I know and I love scones (my husband is English!!!), but I don't know your recipe and I'll try!
Have a nice day

joey said...

Dear Mireille ... I have noticed many similarities in our gardens as well as similar husband backgrounds (3 ancestors came over on the Mayflower); mine from Brittany (Herve Quemeneur dit LaFlamme):)

Catherine said...

The bees love your garden as much as we do! Beautiful~ fun captures! The cobb salad sounds soooo good! Sounds pretty too!:)
And the lemon scones I know are good, just reading the recipe has me drooling!:D
Hug's
Cat

joey said...

How sweet, Cat, and, as always, wonderful to hear from you. I love my bees, reminding me always that if you have 'good stuff' in your life, 'build it and they will come' :)

joey said...

How sweet, Cat, and, as always, wonderful to hear from you. I love my bees, reminding me always that if you have 'good stuff' in your life, 'build it and they will come' :)