Catalogna in Chinese chicken salad

I adapted a recipe from Epicurious, using roasted peanuts instead of fried wontons and catalogna instead of romaine.  It was a perfect summer dinner.  If you don’t happen to have catalogna (cultivated dandelions), any other slightly bitter green will do just fine — try endive or chicory.  Or just use romaine.

Chinese Chicken Salad
Serves 2 as a meal

For the dressing:
2 T. soy sauce
2 T. lemon juice
1 T. maple syrup (or use sugar, but make sure it dissolves)
1 t. apple cider vinegar (or other white vinegar)
1 T. vegetable oil
1 T. sesame oil
salt and pepper to taste

For the salad
8-12 ounces cooked chicken (I poached 4 thighs), shredded
½ head napa cabbage, shredded
large handful catalogna leaves, shredded
1 cup snow peas, sliced thin (these can be raw or lightly steamed
6-8 scallions, white and light green parts, sliced
1/3 c. chopped cilantro
1/3 c. chopped peanuts

Put the dressing ingredients in a jar with a lid. Shake it up well.

Add 1/3 of the dressing to the chicken, and set aside while you make the rest of the salad.

Make the rest of the salad. Add the chicken and the rest of the dressing, and toss.

You might also enjoy:

1. Pickled herring* My starting point was Linda Ziedrich’s Joy of Pickling recipe. I adapted it slightly. Pickled Herring 3 cups distilled white vinegar 1 cup water 1 cup sugar 3 T. allspice...
2. Don’t fence me in. Or out. Our chickens are getting uppity. Most of the time, we let them have the run of the property. Occasionally, though, we have to shut them up in their run. They...
3. Every Other Friday When we lived in New York, Kevin and I had an every-other-Friday restaurant night. We’d trade off picking, and the only rule was that it had to be somewhere we’d...
4. The chicken post mortem I’m pretty sure that none of my New York City friends can to do a chicken autopsy. It’s a pretty arcane skill but, if you need to do one, it’s...
5. Sprung! I never cease to be amazed that plants – plants I can eventually eat – come up in the spring. Right out of the ground! Every year! The little green...