Ask a Chef reveals the secrets of those superb dishes you ate in cafes and restaurants and wanted to try yourself.
Serves 4
Ingredients
2 butterflied chicken breasts, grilled
50g Evansdale blue cheese, diced
50g walnuts, toasted
2 pears poached in red wine with cinnamon sticks
150g mesclun and rocket salad
3 tsp Djion vinaigrette
toasted sesame seeds to serve
Vinaigrette
30ml red wine vinegar
5 tsp Dijon mustard
250ml canola oil
salt and pepper to taste
Method
To poach the pears: Put equal parts red wine and brown sugar in a pot to cover the sliced pears.
Add a cinnamon stick and simmer for 15 minutes.
Whisk the ingredients for the vinaigrette together or put them in a jar with a lid and shake well.
Toss walnuts, cheese and dijon dressing with the salad leaves. Place sliced pears and chicken on the salad. Drizzle extra vinaigrette on top and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds.
Requested by Christine Wilson, of Dunedin.
This recipe comes from Olive Tabor, manager of Nova Cafe in the Octagon, Dunedin.
• If you have enjoyed a dish in an Otago cafe or restaurant and would like the recipe, write to Ask a Chef, Features, Otago Daily Times, PO Box 181, Dunedin, fax 474-7422, or email odt.features@odt.co.nz , including your name, address and a daytime telephone number, and we will request it.
