Sumac Chicken and Grilled Artichoke Salad, plus Rosewater Spritz

(It's Salads and Sips for 2, all month!)

Hi friends! A sunny Southern California welcome to you all. Every Friday, you’ll receive bright and fresh California Cuisine recipes to inspire you, no matter where you live in the world.

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July: Salads and Sips for 2

It’s meal salads and fun drinkies all month long! They are perfect for enjoying with your special someone as you watch the sun go down.

We’re talking salads that are colorful, zippy, hearty but not heavy, and most importantly, delicious. Plus, there’s a variety of proteins, seasonal veggies, and lip-smacking dressings. Yes, these easy homemade dressings are so good.

The recipes are engineered to feed two generously, so you might have enough for leftovers. Maybe. And some of the cocktail recipes are easily adapted to be booze-free.

Did you catch last week’s Pan-seared Ahi with Mango Avo Salad? It’s inspired by a favorite salad from one of the restaurants featured on my restaurant recommendation list. Paired with a Ginger Lemon Drop, it’s a fresh summer meal, perfect for the hot weather we’re having.

Life in SoCal

What’s it like to live in California? Like most places, we have our share of challenges, but I feel the sunshine-y pluses greatly outweigh those! Proximity to the ocean, the mountains, and the desert is a bonus for me. I like to share a few glimpses of Southern California life over on Substack Notes. Not everyone has or wants the Substack app, so I thought I’d share those glimpses here, too.

The Thai basil plant decided to live, lychee cocktail (way too sweet but I drank the whole thing), an embarrassment of fresh fruit riches, and Redlands outdoor summer theater.

Another thing that is great about living in the Golden State is the mash-up of different cultures. There is no ethnic majority, meaning no single group is more than 50 percent of the population. People groups from Central/South America, Asia, the Pacific Islands, Europe, and the Middle East live, work, and eat next to each other.

It makes for some beautiful food that I write about: California Cuisine.

This week’s recipe is inspired by a wedding that my husband and I recently attended. Our longtime friend’s daughter was getting married, and her husband-to-be is Chaldean. We’d never been to a Chaldean wedding, and it was so beautiful.

Afterwards, the reception included appetizers, dancing, dinner, dancing, speeches, dancing, dessert/coffee bar, and dancing. Did I mention there was dancing? Because I’m always up for dancing, I joined the circle a few times! This community-style dance, called chobi, is enjoyed at Chaldean weddings and other celebrations.

As you can see from the video below, Chaldeans know how to throw a party!

The food included heaping platters of hummus, baba ghanoush, stewed vegetables, tabbouleh, and we hadn’t even gotten to the main meal yet. Next, tender beef filets, chicken, and fish were served plated with a variety of veggies. I’m pretty sure no one left hungry!

Motivated by the festivities and flavors, I put together a delicious Middle Eastern-inspired summer salad that is bright and fresh. The rosewater spritz is a nice accompaniment and brings some bubbles. And if you want to learn the chobi, you can listen and dance here.

Recipes

Sumac Chicken and Grilled Artichoke Salad

Serves 2 to 3 generously

Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Tender sumac-laced grilled chicken with a green tahini dressing! Parsley and mint are treated like salad greens here, bringing a herby bite with every forkful. Grilled artichokes top off the salad with some delicious char. Yes, the artichokes were also inspired by one of the restaurants I recommended last month!

Green Tahini Dressing Ingredients:

• 1 cup parsley

• 1 Tbsp shallots, coarsely chopped

• 1/2 cup tahini

• 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice

• 1/2 tsp kosher salt

Salad Ingredients:

• 2 artichokes, cut in half lengthwise

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs

• 4 tsp grapeseed oil or other high-smoke point oil

• juice from 1/2 lemon

• 1 tsp sumac

• 1/2 tsp kosher salt

• 1/2 tsp dried oregano

• 1/4 tsp garlic powder

• 2 large bunches flat-leaf parsley (about 3-ish cups), woody stems removed, coarsely chopped

• 1 cup mint leaves, loosely packed (I don’t chop b/c they turn black)

• 1 small red onion, thinly sliced

• Extra lemon wedges for serving

Directions:

1. Throw the dressing ingredients into a blender or food processor. Blitz for 20 seconds or until pureed. Add 1/4 cup water to thin the mixture, if needed, and blitz again. Scrape into a bowl and set aside.

2. Place the artichokes, cut side down, into a large steamer basket insert. Place the basket over a pot of boiling water. Lower the heat to medium-high, cover the pot, and steam for 20 to 25 minutes or until the heart (thick part) can be pierced easily with a fork. Remove from heat and set aside to cool slightly.

3. Preheat an outdoor grill on high heat, following the manufacturer’s directions.

4. While the artichokes steam, prep the chicken for the grill. Drizzle the chicken with the oil and lemon juice. Combine the sumac, salt, oregano, and garlic together and sprinkle evenly over the chicken.

5. Once the artichokes are cool enough to handle, remove the fuzzy choke and purple leaves in the center. I find a grapefruit spoon makes quick work of this. Trim the sharp tips from the outside leaves, if desired, using kitchen shears. Rub all the surfaces with oil.

6. When the grill is hot, place the chicken and the artichokes (cut side down) on the grill. Cover and cook for 15 minutes. Flip the chicken and the artichokes over, cover, and cook another 5 to 10 minutes or until chicken is done and juices run clear. Remove from heat.

7. Combine the parsley, mint, and onion on a platter. Place the chicken, either whole or cut up into bite-sized pieces, on top of the parsley mixture and arrange the artichokes alongside it. Serve with green tahini dressing and lemon wedges.

Rosewater Spritz

Makes 1 drink

Time: 5 minutes

Lemon + rosewater + mint = refreshing and bubbly! Perfect for summer, this cocktail is easily made into a non-alcoholic drink by omitting the vodka. Still delicious!

Ingredients:

• 2 oz vodka

• 1 oz fresh lemon juice

• 1/2 oz agave or simple syrup

• 1 tsp rosewater (note the measurement in teaspoons, not oz)

• 2 mint leaves

• 4 oz sparkling water or club soda

• garnish: mint sprigs

Directions:

1. Tip the vodka, lemon juice, agave, rosewater, and 1 or 2 mint leaves into a cocktail shaker. Add 4 ice cubes. Place the top on the shaker and shake for 20 seconds or until cold.

2. Add 3 or 4 ice cubes into a rocks glass. Strain the cocktail into the glass. Garnish with mint and enjoy.

Podcast

Ever wonder if a recipe is going to work or what to look for when searching online? Me too! That’s why I started a podcast earlier this year.

Photo by C D-X on Unsplash

You get to listen in as I talk to food writers, recipe developers, recipe testers, and editors to find out how to spot the recipes worth making. Plus, you get a behind-the-scenes glimpse into their everyday life and creative process as they bring recipes, tips, and guidance to help us in the kitchen.

The newest episode dropped earlier this week! I interview

Melissa Norman

of Yes! You Can Eat This. Melissa is a genius at putting together easy, creative meals for those with food intolerances.

We chat about

• her journey of being vegetarian, gluten-free, and dairy-free.

• how to make dinner guests feel welcome and included.

• flexible, adaptable recipes that work in any situation.

• moving from lack to abundance at meal time.

You’re really going to love listening to this one!

Photo courtesy of Melissa Norman.

Listen to the episode below or find it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube.

Tell Me

What are you adding to your salads this summer? Leave a comment on what ingredients are a must-have for you.

Coming next week: a hearty vegan salad and a fizzy gin drinkie! This one is just for paid subscribers. It’s a great time to upgrade so you don’t miss out. See you next Friday!