Spinach Salad with Pecorino, Pine Nuts and Currants

Recipe courtesy of Dawn Ramsayer :)

Ingredients
1 1/2 tablespoons dried currants

1 1/2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted, coarsely chopped

1 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 1/2 teaspoons minced shallot

1/2 teaspoon sugar

2 tablespoons olive oil

6 cups (packed) baby spinach leaves

Shaved Pecorino Romano cheese

Preparation
Whisk first 5 ingredients in small bowl. Whisk in oil. Season with salt and pepper. Toss spinach with vinaigrette in large bowl. Add cheese and toss.

Curried Chicken Wraps Recipe

Alternatively, this recipe can be made with medium-firm tofu.  Simply cube the tofu, gently coat in oil and bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes, turning in between.  Chop cubes into desirable sized pieces and use in lieu of chicken.

Ingredients

3 split (1 1/2 whole) chicken breasts, bone in, skin on

Olive oil

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 1/2 cups good mayonnaise

1/3 cup dry white wine

1/4 cup chutney (recommended: Major Gray's)

3 tablespoons curry powder

1 cup medium-diced celery (2 large stalks)

1/4 cup chopped scallions, white and green parts (2 scallions)

1/4 cup raisins

1 cup whole roasted, salted cashews, chopped

6 large tortillas

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Place the chicken breasts on a sheet pan and rub the skin with olive oil. Sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper. Roast for 35 to 40 minutes, until the chicken is just cooked. Set aside until cool enough to handle. Remove the meat from the bones, discard the skin, and shred the chicken in pieces.  For the dressing, combine the mayonnaise, wine, chutney, curry powder, and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Process until smooth.  Combine the chicken with enough dressing to moisten well. Add the celery, scallions, and raisins, and mix well. Refrigerate for a few hours to allow the flavors to blend. Add the cashews to the chicken.  Fill the center of each tortilla with the chicken mixture. Fold the 2 sides of the tortilla over the filling so that the sides overlap. Roll the tortilla from bottom to top, and cut in half diagonally.

Chicken Tikka Masala Recipe

As requested, here is the recipe for Chicken Tikka Masala that I brought at the DFW event on July 31st. This recipe serves 4. If you are a vegetarian, try using paneer instead. You can find it at Indian markets or make your own.



Ingredients
• 1 cup yogurt
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon garam masala
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
• 1 teaspoons salt (or to taste)
• 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
• 4 long skewers

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 jalapeno pepper, finely chopped
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
• 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 8 oz can diced tomatoes
• Fresh cilantro (optional)
• Basmati rice

Directions
1. In a large bowl, combine yogurt, lemon juice, 2 teaspoons cumin, garam masala, cayenne, black pepper, ginger, and 1 teaspoon salt. Stir in chicken. Cover, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (overnight is best)
2. Preheat a grill for high heat.
3. Lightly oil the grill grate. Thread chicken onto skewers, and discard marinade. Grill until juices run clear, about 5 minutes on each side. Pan frying (w/out skewers) works well if you do not have a grill.
4. Melt butter in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Saute garlic and jalapeno for 1 minute. Season with 2 teaspoons cumin, paprika, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Stir in tomato sauce, diced tomatoes and cream. Simmer on low heat until sauce thickens/reduces, about 20 minutes. Add grilled chicken, and simmer for 10 minutes. Serve with basmati rice and garnish with fresh cilantro.

This was modified from the original recipe here on allrecipes.com.