My Favorite Salad

Hi everyone

I call this my favorite salad because its easy to make and great when you get home from work and don't have a lot of time or inclination to make dinner. I was asked by a friend to put up an easy salad. I thought of this one.

Ingredients

• a whole chicken - I buy a cooked chook from the supermarket to save time
• olive oil
• half a ciabatta or sourdough loaf torn into chunks - if you don't have either cut up some normal bread slices into cubes.
•  bacon or pancetta - I use 6 rashers of streaky bacon or 8 or 9 slices of thin pancetta
• 1 1/2 cups of rocket  - this salad is awesome with rocket which is nice and peppery in taste but if you don't have that a mix of other lettuce is fine as are baby spinach leaves
• a punnet of cherry tomatoes halved or 280 gm jar of sun friend tomato drained and halved - either works 
• cup of basil or mint - my husband doesn't like mint so we use basil
• a just ripe avocado sliced
• 100 gms toasted pinenuts
• balsamic vinegar
• good quality olive oil

Preheat an oven to 200 degrees.

If using a non cooked chicken rub with some olive oil and roast in a pan for 1 1/2 hours or until cooked.  Take the chicken out reserving the fat in the roasting pan. Cool the chicken slightly. Take a fork to the chicken and tear meat into long strips. Discard bones and skin.

If using a brought chicken pour the fat that is at the bottom of the dish the chicken is brought in into a roasting pan.  Otherwise use the pan you cooked the chicken in and add the bread to the pan turning to coat the bread with the fat.  Put the pan back in the oven for 10-15 minutes. Keep an eye on it so the bread doesn't burn. You now have croutons for the salad. Drain on paper towels.

Heat a splash of olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat and cook the bacon or pancetta for 2-3 minutes until crisp. Drain on paper towels. Slice when slightly cooled.

Toss the the torn chicken with the croutons, rocket, tomatoes, mint and pancetta.  Season with salt and pepper and dress with a little balsamic vinegar and the good quality olive oil. I say good quality because I find your standard "cooking" olive oil can be a bit harsh for a salad. So having a nice bottle in your pantry for the dressings is a good idea. You can usually pick them up in the supermarket I like the Village Press oils with the barneo olives. Finally I prefer to place my slices of avocado on top after tossing the other ingredients so it doesn't get all mushy and lost in the salad. If you do this sprinkle a bit more balsamic and olive oil on to the avocado. Finally sprinkle on the pine nuts. 

Enjoy with a nice pinot gris and slices of the other of the left over ciabatta on the side..yum

Thing about salads is you can mix and match with what you have. Ive sometimes just put uncooked strips of prosciutto on top of a salad of mixed lettuce leaves with, slices of avocado, a few shavings of parmesan or wedges of brie and toasted pine nuts. Dressed with balsamic and olive oil or just lemon juice and olive oil.Just as nice. So experiment and enjoy.

Me xx

PS let me know if you want me to blog about particular types of food or recipes. Happy to oblige.