California Grain Bowl with Red Quinoa, Red Lentils, Roasted Chicken, Pink Lady Apples, Roasted Acorn Squash, Yellow Beets, Sheep’s Milk Feta Cheese, Artisan Baby Lettuces & Sweet Soy-Lime Vinaigrette

Recipe courtesy of Chef Jamil Pineda

Serves 4

Ingredients:

For the Roasted Chicken:

1 (3 to 4 pound) roasting chicken (you can roast your own, or for a short cut, pick one up at Costco or Sam’s Club– they’re quite good!)

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 large bunch fresh thyme, plus 20 sprigs

1 orange, halved

2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter, melted

1 large yellow onion, thickly sliced

4 carrots, cut into 2-inch chunks

1 bulb of fennel, tops removed and cut into wedges

Olive oil

Method:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Remove the chicken giblets. Rinse the chicken inside and out. Remove any excess fat and pat the outside dry. Liberally salt and pepper the inside of the chicken. Stuff the cavity with the bunch of thyme, both halves of orange and half the onion. Brush the outside of the chicken with the butter and sprinkle again with salt and pepper. Tie the legs together with kitchen string and tuck the wing tips under the body of the chicken. Place the onions, carrots and fennel in a roasting pan. Toss with salt, pepper, 20 sprigs of thyme and olive oil. Spread around the bottom of the roasting pan and place the chicken on top.

Roast the chicken for 1.5 hours, or until the juices run clear when you cut between a leg and thigh. Remove the chicken and vegetables to a platter and cover with aluminum foil for about 20 minutes. Remove all the meat form the bones and shred with your hands (leaving nice big pieces) and set aside to build the bowl.

For the Quinoa:

1 cup uncooked quinoa (any variety — white or golden, red or black)

2 cups water or broth

½ teaspoon salt

2 tablespoon chopped parsley

2 tablespoon chopped fresh mint

4 tablespoon shredded carrots

Method:

Measure 1 cup of quinoa and place into a fine-mesh strainer. Rinse thoroughly with cool water for about 2 minutes. Rub and swish the quinoa with your hand while rinsing. Drain. Add liquid and bring to a boil: Stir in 2 cups of water or broth and the salt. Bring to a rolling boil. Lower heat and cook, covered, for 15 minutes. Turn heat down to the lowest setting, then over and cook for 15 minutes. Let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and let stand for 5 more minutes. Remove the lid – You should see tiny spirals (the germ) separating from and curling around the quinoa seeds. Fluff the quinoa gently with a fork, let it cool down for one hour. Add the mint, parsley and carrots and mix well. Set aside until the bowl is ready to be plated.

For the Red Lentils:

1 ½ cups water

½ teaspoon salt, divided

1 cup red lentils, rinsed

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

¼ cup lime juice

2 teaspoons freshly-grated lemon zest

½ cup currants

1 tablespoon garam marsala

1 small red onion small dice

4 tablespoon maple syrup

1 teaspoon mince garlic

Sea salt to taste

Method:

Combine lentils and ¼ teaspoon salt in a saucepan; add enough water to cover by 1 inch. Bring to a simmer and cook until the lentils are just tender, approximately 10 to 15 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water, pressing firmly to remove excess water. Transfer to a large bowl and let cool to room temperature, about 15 minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Season with salt to taste and set aside until the dish is ready to be plated.

For the Sweet Soy-Lime Vinaigrette:

1 cup Korean BBQ sauce

½ cup Sweet Marin

2 tablespoons Thai sweet chili sauce

4 oz olive oil

Juice of 3 limes

¼ cup soy sauce

3 tablespoons chopped parsley

3 tablespoons chopped green onion

¼ cup rice wine vinegar

Method:

In a medium bowl, whisk all the ingredients together and set aside until the dish is ready to be plated.

For the Roasted Acorn Squash

1 acorn squash, about 1 pound

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Extra-virgin olive oil, optional

½ cup unsalted butter, softened

Salt and black pepper

Method:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Split the squash in half through the equator and scrape out the seeds with a spoon. Set the squash halves, cut sides up, on a baking sheet and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil. (If the squash was very large, cut lengthwise into quarters.) Bake until tender, approximately 30 to 35 minutes, basting every 10 minutes with butter. Set aside until the dish is ready to be plated.

To Build the Bowl:

4 cups of shredded roasted chicken

4 cups artisan baby lettuces

2 cups roasted yellow beets, cut in one-inch cubes

2 cup of red lentils

1 pink lady apple, cut into thick slices

6 oz sheep’s milk feta, cut in 1.5 oz cubes

Roasted acorn squash

2 cups quinoa salad

Sweet Soy-Lime Vinaigrette

Evenly divide all ingredients into four bowls. In each bowl, make neat piles of the quinoa, lettuce, chicken, lentils, beets, acorn squash, feta cheese and the apple. Chef Jamil suggests serving the dressing on side. Enjoy this at home, or come in and try it at Michael’s, along with their famous “City Lite Lunch Menu,” offering a variety of healthy-gourmet items, with calorie counts, perfect for those looking to watch their figures and still enjoy tasty, top quality cuisine!

Note: when cooking at home, I always enjoy the freedom and flexibility to play with recipes, substituting as I wish depending on my mood, the tastes and preferences of my guests, and what is fresh, local, in-season, and available in my local stores/markets. If you wish, you might want to try jumbo lump crab meat, shrimp, seared rare tuna, grilled or pan-seared salmon, or sliced steak (even leftover filet, NY Strip, or skirt steak) as alternatives to the roasted chicken with this salad. All would be excellent! The key is to feel comfortable experimenting and to have fun!

Be sure to tell Michael, Phil, Chef Jamil, and the folks at Michael’s on East that I sent you, and if you’re looking for a good bottle of wine, visit Golden Palate Partner® Michael’s Wine Cellar, located adjacent to the restaurant, featuring an excellent selection of wine from around the world with knowledgeable staff eager to help with your selection! Also consider joining the Gulf Coast Connoisseur Club and earn points on purchases in the restaurant and wine shop, and reward your good taste!

Michael’s on East
1212 East Avenue, S.
Sarasota, FL 34239
941.366.0007