Chicken salad with avocado and grapefruit and annoyances...

They delight us or they frustrate us, some things happen in our lives and lead us to deal with it. 

Though I think that in any difficult events, we eventually can find positive things, the fact remains that nobody likes suffering from what he did not expect.

 And I don’t escape to that fact. In my case I don’t like surprises. It's not because I like controlling things but above all because I don’t like being disappointed. 

But that's life isn’t it? And things are not always in our favor.

When I started my job, five years ago, I had the opportunity to work with a manager, a great guy, a man of many talents. 

I arrived in a difficult situation; I had to manage 7 people who has stayed without any management for over a year. I was not welcomed to open arms.

My manager supported me and helped me, giving me the right advice.

It took almost two years to get things back to normal and that we could see the results of the objectives we have set ourselves.

 After this time, I really enjoyed going to work every morning and especially to bring ideas to the company. Thanks to my boss, I became better at work. 

Last Friday he called me into his office, I joked as I do for years working with him:

- Are you going to dismiss me? 

He didn’t answer me as he usually does knowing that I was kidding. 

- Sit down please I need to talk to you. 

And he told me that he had submitted his resignation and soon would leave the company . He's going to create his own company. For sure I 'am happy for him. 

But for me now it is the beginning of doubts and questions.

How things will go after him? We used to working together with respect.

I know when I can talk to him and when I don’t have to. 

Of course it was not easy every day but at least we knew each other and we worked in the same direction. I was worried and so upset last week end.

I reassure myself by thinking that he was there for me at the right time, when I joined the company  5 years ago. He taught me a lot and I must be ready today. Though we made mistakes in some choices or decisions, he showed me that we can lead a business with humanity.

In those moments of doubts I like taking refuge inside my kitchen.  No matter what I 'am going to cook, a simple or an elaborate food.

I like thinking about the recipe I 'am going to cook, selecting the ingredients and then cutting, chopping, mixing and kneading.

Above all, my pleasure is in sharing with friends and family.

I can be very critical with myself and make several attempts to get the result I want.

Cooking, relaxes me, teaches me patience and also probably indulgence.

It is with this thought that I made this «salad of sun," this is how I call it because it is one of my summer classics. 

Of course I do other salads, but I love this one.

Here is what you need for the salad of sun: ( serve 2 )

Ingredients:

For the salad:

• Leftover roast chicken or 2 chicken cutlets
• 1 green salad (lettuce, Batavia, mash  ...) lettuce for me
• 1 ripe but firm avocado
• 1 grapefruit
• 1/2 red apple Fuji Type
• 1 small can of corn, about 100 gr
• Cherry tomatoes (about 30 gr)
•  20g diced Emmental (cheese of your choice, cheddar can also be good)
• Blond raisins (optional)

For the sauce:

• 3 tablespoons olive oil or canola oil
• 2 tablespoons cider vinegar or balsamic vinegar
• ½ shallot, diced small
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• Salt
• Pepper 

Preparation:

Leftover roast chicken helps saving time for this salad.

If you choose chicken cutlets, several possibilities:

- You can poach them 10 minutes in a vegetable or chicken broth.

- Or you can season with salt and pepper and fry in a little oil.

- Or sometimes I put the cutlets in a suitable plastic bag for baking. 

I add in a chopped onion, a coarsely chopped tomato and I crumbled half of a stock cube. Then I bake the chicken for 35 min at 410°F.

So cut the cooked chicken into pieces (I do not keep the bones) and set aside.

Wash the lettuce, tomatoes, avocado, apple and grapefruit.

Drain well the salad and cut it roughly with your hands.

Cut the cherry tomatoes in half.

* Peel and segment the grapefruit remove the white membranes and cut the flesh into small cubes.

Cut the cheese into cubes.

Prepare the sauce in a small bowl, put the mustard, and pour vinegar and olive oil. Whisk well.

Cut half a shallot into small cubes and add to the oil / vinegar mixture. 

Add salt and pepper to taste.

To serve:

Harmoniously arrange the salad on the plates and sprinkle with corn.

Add the cherry tomatoes, pieces of grapefruit and chicken.

Cut the apple in half and then into strips about 1 cm thick, and cut the strips in half.

Cut avocado and proceed in the same way as for apples.

Add them to your salad and add the cheese.

Season the salad with the sauce.

I usually sprinkle dried grape on my salad, I love the sweet touch that contrasts with the sauce.

tips:

* If you use an organic grapefruit which is better, you can keep the skin and make jam with it.

I cut the avocado and the apple at the last minute to prevent them being black.

Give a try to this fresh salad you’ll not be disappointed. Let me know about your ideas or opinions.

Many thanks for stopping by here.

Chantal