Wrap Up a Summertime Lunch with Curtis Stone
Chicken Veggie Wraps with Yogurt Caesar Dressing
(Makes 4 servings)
Dressing:
- ¾ cup low-fat Greek yogurt
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 ½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 anchovies
- 1 garlic clove
Wraps:
- 2 yellow corn cobs, husk removed
- 4 teaspoons. olive oil, divided
- 4 chicken thighs, boneless, skinless (about 1 lb.), fat trimmed
- 4 flour tortillas, lightly toasted on grill
- 3 heads Baby Gem lettuce, leaves separated
- ½ English cucumber, cut into thin strips
In blender, mix yogurt, cheese, lemon juice, Dijon, oil, anchovies, and garlic until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Prepare barbecue for medium-high heat. Coat corn with 2 teaspoons oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill corn, turning occasionally, for 18 minutes or until well charred. Cut kernels off cobs into large bowl.
Meanwhile, coat chicken with 2 teaspoons oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill chicken for 5 to 6 minutes per side or until cooked through. Rest 5 minutes. Thinly slice chicken.
Lay tortillas on a work surface. Top with corn, chicken, lettuce, and cucumber. Drizzle dressing into wrap as desired. Fold bottom third of tortilla over filling and roll up tortilla.
Make-Ahead: Dressing can be made up to 2 days ahead, covered and refrigerated.
Per serving
Calories: 647
Total Fat: 27 g
Saturated Fat: 7 g
Sodium: 967 mg
Carbohydrate: 54 g
Fiber: 5 ½ g
Protein: 46 g
Diabetic Exchanges: 3 starch, 4 lean meat, 1 ½ vegetables, 3 fat
Middle Eastern Wrap
(Makes 8 servings)
- ½ hothouse cucumber, peeled, seeded, diced
- 1 cup low-fat plain yogurt
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon dried mint
- ½ red onion, very thinly sliced (about 2 cups)
- 2 teaspoons sumac
- Hummus (recipe below)
- 4 flatbreads or large pita breads, warmed
- 2 grilled boneless skinless chicken breasts, thinly sliced (optional)
- ½ head romaine lettuce, outer green leaves discarded, inner crispy leaves thinly sliced
- 6 radishes, thinly sliced
- 4 ounces feta cheese, coarsely crumbled
In small bowl, create tzatziki sauce by mixing cucumber, yogurt, lemon juice, and mint. Season tzatziki with salt. In another small bowl, toss onions with sumac to coat. Season with salt. Spread hummus over flatbreads or pita. Top with chicken (if using), lettuce, radishes, feta cheese, onion mixture, and tzatziki. Fold up sandwiches and cut in half. Serve immediately.
Hummus
(Makes 2 cups)
- 1 garlic clove, peeled
- 2 cups cooked chickpeas
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
- ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon salt to taste
- Juice of 1 lemon (about 3 tablespoons)
- ¼ teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 teaspoons (approx.) water
In food processor, mince garlic. Add chickpeas, cilantro, cumin, and ½ teaspoon of salt and blend until a coarse puree forms. Scrape down sides of bowl. With machine running, gradually add lemon juice and sesame oil through feed tube, scraping bowl as needed. Gradually add olive oil, blending until smooth and creamy. Drizzle in water, 1 teaspoon at a time, until desired consistency is achieved.
Per serving
Calories: 330
Total Fat: 13 g
Saturated Fat: 4 g
Sodium: 484 mg
Carbohydrate: 36 g
Fiber: 5 g
Protein: 17.5 g
Diabetic Exchanges: 2 starch, 1 ½ lean meat, 1 vegetable, 2 fat
Simply Summer Recipes from Curtis Stone
In the Stone household, we use any excuse to bring great food and good friends together. I love to entertain and grill outdoors, especially during the summer months when fresh, locally grown produce is at its peak. By choosing the season’s best, you’re almost guaranteed a successful dish. And grilling enhances the flavors of so many fresh vegetables — from corn to zucchini to peppers.
A perfect main-course summer salad brimming with vegetables, Grilled Chicken with Arugula and Zucchini Salad and Lemon-Caper Vinaigrette is one of my favorite ways to put a healthy meal on the dinner table. I like the flavorful, earthy combination of chickpeas and quinoa in Quinoa and Chickpea Salad with Feta, Walnuts, and Parsley. For dessert, toss halved nectarines, peaches, and plums on the grill for a few minutes and top with a dollop of Greek yogurt and a drizzle of honey — just delicious!
Grilled Chicken with Arugula and Zucchini Salad and Lemon-Caper Vinaigrette
(Makes 4 servings)
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped shallots
- Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon coarsely chopped drained nonpareil capers
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped pepperoncini
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 2 teaspoons champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (about 6 ounces each)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 5 ounces baby arugula (about 8 cups not packed)
- 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
- 2 small, thin zucchini
To make vinaigrette: In medium bowl, whisk shallots, lemon zest, lemon juice, capers, pepperoncini, parsley, and vinegar together. Gradually whisk in extra-virgin olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
To cook chicken: Preheat grill for medium-high heat. Coat chicken with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill chicken 4 minutes per side, or until cooked through and grill marks form. Transfer to cutting board.
To assemble salad: In large bowl, combine arugula and tomatoes. Trim ends of zucchini. One at a time, lay zucchini flat on work surface and, using vegetable peeler and working from stem end to blossom end, shave off long, thin ribbons until you reach seedy center. Turn zucchini around and repeat on second side, then repeat on third and fourth sides. Add ribbons to bowl and discard seedy centers of zucchini.
Using your hands to avoid breaking ribbons, gently toss salad with enough vinaigrette to coat. Season with salt and pepper.
Cut each chicken breast crosswise into thirds. Transfer a cut chicken breast to each dinner plate and heap some salad alongside. Drizzle chicken and salad with remaining vinaigrette and serve immediately.
Make-Ahead: The vinaigrette can be made up to 8 hours ahead, covered, and refrigerated. Let vinaigrette stand at room temperature for 15 minutes and re-whisk before using.
Per serving
- Calories: 342
- Total Fat: 21 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Sodium: 563 mg
- Carbohydrate: 7 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 32 g
- Diabetic Exchanges: 6 meat, 3 fat, 3 vegetable
Quinoa and Chickpea Salad with Feta, Walnuts, and Parsley
(Makes 4 servings)
- 1 cup quinoa (preferably red quinoa)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped shallots
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 15-oz can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained, rinsed
- 1/2 English cucumber, halved lengthwise, seeded, and diced
- 1/2 cup diced red bell peppers
- 1/2 cup walnuts, toasted, coarsely chopped
- 3 green onions, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, thinly sliced
- 2 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
Put quinoa in fine-mesh sieve and rinse under cold running water. Set aside to drain well. Heat medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add oil and quinoa and cook, stirring frequently, for 2 minutes, or until quinoa is fragrant and toasted. Add 1 ½ cups water and ½ teaspoon salt and bring to simmer. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 20 minutes, or until quinoa is tender and water has been absorbed. Spread quinoa on baking sheet and let cool, then fluff with fork. Meanwhile, to make vinaigrette: In small bowl, whisk shallots, vinegar, and lemon juice. Gradually whisk in oil.
In large bowl, combine cooled quinoa, chickpeas, cucumber, bell peppers, walnuts, green onions, and parsley. Toss with vinaigrette and season with salt and pepper.
Transfer to large platter or divide among four plates. Sprinkle with feta and serve.
Make-Ahead: Quinoa can be cooked up to 1 day ahead, cooled, covered, and refrigerated.
Per serving
- Calories: 476
- Total Fat: 26 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Sodium: 288 mg
- Carbohydrate: 48 g
- Fiber: 10 g
- Protein: 16 g
- Diabetic Exchanges: 5 fat, 4 starches, 1 meat
Excerpted from What’s for Dinner? by Curtis Stone. Copyright © 2013 by Curtis Stone. Excerpted by permission of Ballantine Books, a division of Random House LLC. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher; photo by Quentin Bacon.
This article is from the July/August 2017 issue of the Post. Subscribe to the magazine for more art, inspiring stories, fiction, humor, and features from our archives.
Also see Curtis Stone’s Cool-down Recipes for Summer.
Beet, Carrot, and Apple Salad
I particularly recommend this salad in the spring, since some consider beets, like Grandma’s old-fashioned tonic, good to eat to get our systems going after winter’s lethargy. This salad is so colorful and succulent that saying this is loaded with fiber, vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients seems almost crass.
Beet, Carrot and Apple Salad
(Makes 4 servings)
Ingredients
- 1 medium beet (or 3/4 cup pre-shredded)
- 2 medium carrots (or 3/4 cup pre-shredded)
- 1 large peeled Granny Smith apple
- ¼ cup walnut halves, chopped
- 3 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley or dill or combination
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Directions
- To shred beet, insert each hand in plastic sandwich bag to avoid staining hands. Peel beet using swivel blade vegetable peeler. Using coarse side of box grater, shred beet to get ¾ cup. Save remaining beet for another use.
- Shred carrots and apple.
- Place shredded beets, carrots, and apple in mixing bowl and mix to combine. Add walnuts and green herbs on top of mixed vegetables, and set bowl aside.
- For dressing, in small bowl whisk together lemon juice and salt until salt dissolves. Add 3-4 grinds of pepper. Whisk in oil. Pour dressing over salad and mix until well combined and evenly dressed.
- Serve salad within 1 hour of combining with herbs and dressing.
Nutrition Facts
Per serving
Calories: 112
Total fat: 8 g
Saturated fat: <1 g
Carbohydrate: 11 g
Fiber: 2 g
Protein: 2 g
Sodium: 330 mg
Brunch: Curtis Stone’s Homemade Crab Cakes
I don’t know who first had the idea to fuse breakfast and lunch into one spectacular meal, but I applaud this mastermind every time I sit down to brunch. It starts late morning, when we’re hungry and full of energy, and stretches into the lazy hours of the afternoon, making the day feel long and leisurely. And the food! The freedom to combine the best of both breakfast and lunch is a cook’s dream.
Brunch can take awhile, so start slowly with a fresh fruit platter and amazing coffee, then work your way up to omelets and mimosas. These crab cakes make a delectable feature dish at any style of brunch.
Crab Cakes with Homemade Tartar Sauce
(Makes 4 servings)
Ingredients
Crab cakes:
-
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup minced green onions
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon peel
- 4 teaspoons finely chopped fresh Italian parsley
- 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh tarragon
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 pound Alaskan king crabmeat
- 1 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
- 4 tablespoons (or more) unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons (or more) canola oil
- 3 cups mixed baby green lettuces
- Lemon wedges
Tartar sauce:
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup diced peeled cored Granny Smith apple
- ¼ cup finely chopped dill pickle
- ¼ cup finely chopped onion
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 2 tablespoons drained capers
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh tarragon
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Directions
To prepare crab cakes:
-
- Line baking sheet with waxed paper.
- Whisk first 8 ingredients in large bowl.
- Mix in crabmeat and panko, breaking up crabmeat slightly. Let stand 15 minutes.
- Using 3-inch ring mold, form crab mixture into 8 patties on prepared baking sheet. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to 1 day.
- Melt 2 tablespoons of butter with 1 tablespoon of oil in each of 2 heavy large skillets over medium-high heat.
- Add crab cakes to skillets and cook until golden on both sides, adding more butter and oil as needed, about 5 minutes total.
To prepare tartar sauce:
- Whisk all ingredients in medium bowl to blend.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Cover and refrigerate up to 2 days.
- To serve: Mound the lettuce on 4 plates. Set 2 crab cakes on each plate.
Recipe and photos courtesy Curtis Stone.
Curtis Stone’s philosophy is to cook as Mother Nature intended so he keeps his recipes simple, using local, seasonal, and organic ingredients and allowing the food to speak for itself. Stone is the host of Bravo’s popular culinary competition Top Chef Masters, which returns for a fifth season in 2013. His fifth cookbook, What’s for Dinner?: Delicious Recipes for a Busy Life will be published by Ballantine Books in April 2013.
Moveable Feast
Holiday cookouts, family reunions, birthday celebrations, tailgating parties, or impromptu pitch-ins—we’ll use any excuse to bring great food and good friends together. Just ask celebrity chef Curtis Stone, who doesn’t miss any opportunity to head outdoors, chow in tow.
“When you’re on a picnic there’s no distraction from the meal,” Stone says. “Whether you’re on a beach or in the park or in the woods under a big tree, you can focus on your company and enjoy spending time together—all the food is prepared!”
Australia’s most popular culinary export offers simple, creative ideas to spice up your next outing.
Chicken Salad with Roasted Red Bell Peppers and Homemade Aioli
Ingredients
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 large egg yolk
- 2 teaspoons curry powder
- 1/3 cup grapeseed oil
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, grilled and cooled
- 2 roasted red bell peppers, peeled, seeded, cut into medium dice
- 1/2 cup finely diced red onion
- 1 stalk celery, finely diced
- 1/4 cup chopped green onions
- 1/7 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 head romaine lettuce, cut into bite-size pieces
Directions
Place garlic, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, egg yolk, and curry powder in food processor and puree until smooth. With motor still running, slowly add oil until emulsified. Season aioli to taste with salt and pepper, then remove from food processor. Tear chicken breasts into bite-size pieces and place them into large bowl along with peppers, red onion, and celery. Toss chicken with enough of aioli to generously coat, reserving at least 2 tablespoons. Season to taste with salt and pepper and fold in green onions and cilantro.
In separate large bowl, toss romaine with remaining aioli and season to taste with salt and pepper. Refrigerate covered, then transport in cooler. To serve, mound lettuce onto center of eight serving plates, top with generous ½ cup chicken salad, and serve.
Nutrition analysis per serving
Calories: 344
Total Fat: 11 g
Saturated Fat: 1.5 g
Sodium: 192 mg
Carbohydrate: 5 g
Fiber: 2.0 g
Protein: 12 g
Diabetic Exchanges:
1 Carbohydrate
2 Lean Meat
2 Fat Exchanges
Succotash
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small red onion, medium dice
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, medium dice
- 1 green bell pepper, medium dice
- 2 zucchini, medium dice
- 2 ears fresh yellow corn, shucked (about 2 ½ cups of kernels)
- 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh Italian parsley
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- Salt (optional) and freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Heat oil in large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add onions and sauté until slightly softened, about 4 minutes. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add red and green bell peppers and sauté until they soften slightly, about 4 minutes. Add zucchini and corn and sauté until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in parsley, thyme, and lemon juice. Refrigerate covered, then transport in cooler. To serve, season to taste with salt and pepper and serve.
Nutrition analysis per serving
Calories: 188
Total Fat: 7.8 g
Saturated Fat: 0.6 g
Sodium: 31 mg
Carbohydrate: 29 g
Fiber: 5.4 g
Protein: 5.3 g
Diabetic Exchanges:
2 Carbohydrate
1.5 Fat Exchanges
Cucumber and Dill Salad
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill
- 2 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 cucumbers, cut in half lengthwise and sliced thinly crosswise
- Sea salt (optional)
Directions
Place lemon juice and dill in medium-sized bowl and gently whisk to blend while slowly adding olive oil. Add cucumbers to dressing and toss to coat. Season salad to taste with salt. Refrigerate covered, then transport in cooler. Divide salad among four serving bowls and serve immediately.
Nutrition analysis per serving
Calories: 95
Total Fat: 8.4 g
Saturated Fat: 1.2 g
Sodium: 1.5 mg
Carbohydrate: 5 g
Fiber: 1.7 g
Protein: 1.5 g
Diabetic Exchanges:
1 Carbohydrate
1.5 Fat Exchanges
Stone’s “Take-Out” Favorites:
Keep It Simple: “Marinated and grilled chicken because it’s great hot, warm or cold. Tear into pieces and serve over a fresh seasonal salad; combine with dressing in a baguette to make a delicious sandwich or simply eat as a snack just as it is. Dips like baba ghanoush and tzatziki are also great. They can be enjoyed with crunchy veggies or baked pita chips, and they work as a spread on sandwiches.”
Savor the Season: “When you buy what’s in season, it usually comes from a local farm where their stock is plentiful. So you’re buying fruits and veggies that are tastier, more affordable, and have the potential to support local farms and communities.”
No Spoil Suggestions: “I love to have all types of antipasto platters at a picnic, from pickled and preserved vegetables to marinated artichokes and beautifully cured meats. Make a variety of salads. The key is to pack the vinaigrette or dressing separately. Pour just before eating to keep the greens nice and crisp.”
Passover Dessert: Meringue Tarts
A sweet and flourless finale to any meal, these ethereal meringues are elevated to great heights with dollops of lemon cream and adorned with luscious fresh strawberries.
Meringue Tarts with Lemon Cream and Fresh Strawberries
(Makes 4 servings)
Recipe courtesy of FoodChannel.com
- 4 large egg whites
- 1 1/2 cups sugar, divided
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 4 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
- 3/4 stick unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons
- Pinch of salt
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 8 large strawberries, quartered
FOR THE MERINGUES
Preheat oven to 180 F. Place medium saucepan with two inches of water on stove and heat until simmering.
Beat egg whites and 1 cup of sugar in bowl. While mixing constantly, heat egg mixture in bowl over pan of simmering water until sugar dissolves and eggs feel warm. Take bowl off water at this point.
Whip warm egg mixture on high until very stiff and glossy, about 5 minutes. Sift cornstarch over and fold in carefully. Fold in vinegar and vanilla.
On parchment-lined baking sheet, spoon meringue into 4 even piles and spread them into rough circles, about 5 inches in diameter with slight dip in center (does not need to be exact).
Bake in preheated oven for 1 1/2 hours, then while keeping oven door closed, turn off oven and let dry out for 2 hours.
FOR LEMON CREAM
Start by making lemon curd: Combine lemon juice, 1/2 cup sugar, lemon zest, egg yolks, and pinch of salt in medium saucepan, stirring with wooden spoon over medium heat. Stirring constantly, cook until it thickens and coats back of a spoon. If using aluminum pan, do not use wire whisk or the curd will turn gray in color. Take off heat and beat in butter, a few pieces at a time. Refrigerate covered until cold. Can be made one day ahead.
Whip heavy cream until thick. In large separate bowl, whisk chilled lemon curd until smooth. Fold whipped cream into curd and spoon into tops of meringues. On each meringue, arrange strawberry pieces on top of lemon cream. Serve immediately.
Recipe: Madge’s Hummus
A staple food of the Mediterranean countries, hummus makes a nutritious and satisfying snack food. Serve it as a dip or spread with vegetables, crackers, or pita bread. Your guests may not know how healthy it is, but you can bet they’ll be coming back for more.
Madge’s Hummus
(Makes 2 cups)
- 2 cups cooked garbanzos (chickpeas) or 1 can (15-ounce) of garbanzos
- 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid or liquid drained from the canned garbanzos
- 1/2 cup tahini (mashed sesame seeds)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
Start preparing hummus 24 hours before serving. Soak garbanzos overnight, then simmer 2 hours, until tender. Combine cooked garbanzos, cooking liquid, and tahini in blender and mix until smooth. Add other ingredients, blending until smooth. Add liquid if needed to bring consistency to that of mashed potatoes. Transfer to covered bowl and refrigerate 8 hours before serving.
This recipe is from The Saturday Evening Post Fiber & Bran Better Health Cookbook by Cory SerVaas, M.D., Charlotte Turgeon, and Fred Birmingham.