Escape Plan (Summer Pesto Chicken Pasta)

Sheryl and I met in college – my freshman year, her sophomore year – outside the big theater style room at Cal State Fullerton when we took a class called History of Radio, TV and Film. I remember thinking it was pretty darn cool to get to watch old movies and news clips for a grade. If this was college, I knew I was going to like it.

The class was a fairly early one, as I recall, and our friendship grew over coffee, bagels and cream cheese from the Student Union.

Since then, our friendship has had its peaks and valleys. With marriages, kids careers… there were times when we went months without talking and others when we talked every day. I often note that she’s the only “college friend” I have from that sea of students that passed through the CSUF Communications department during the years we were there. Frankly, I’ve never needed more.

So it is fitting that Sheryl would volunteer to drive cross-country with me when Steve and I make the big move to North Carolina later this month. Steve and our Scottish terrier, CurveBall, will head out first and arrive a few short days later to supervise the arrival of our life’s possessions. In true Steve Barnett style they will drive guy-style; stopping to eat, sleep and not much more.

Us girls…. Well, let’s just say we will take more leisurely approach.

Last night we got together to plan the trip. In true Sheryl fashion, she had the whole thing mapped out. Rest stops, hotels, and entertainment for a trip that will wind our way from Orange County to Chapel Hill via Flagstaff, Santa Fe, Memphis, Nashville, Chattanooga and Asheville. Oklahoma City is in there somewhere, I think, but it is just a hotel stop. No offense, OK City.

We figure it will take a full week. I can’t wait!

Our evening was complete with great wine and a warm pasta dish that is great for an evening with friends on a hot summer night. Sheryl was a true pal and wrote down what I did so I could share it with you. I actually grilled an entire whole chicken (split and pressed flat) so that we’d have leftovers for next week. To simplify matters, I’m providing the recipe below using two large chicken breasts. The choice is yours.

Summer Pesto Chicken Pasta

Note, this is easier and faster than it appears… and is a great meal to cook with friends over a glass of wine. We like it in the summer because its served warm, with the “cooking” of the sauce coming from the heat of the pasta and chicken as it is tossed with the room temperature pesto and tomatoes. (Oh, and if by chance there are leftovers, it is amazing cold!)

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 2 large chicken breasts, with bone and skin. Brined (see below)
• Emeril’s Original Essence seasoning and cracked black pepper – to cover both sides of the chicken
• 2 cups (firmly packed) fresh basil leaves. (This equates to an entire large package fo fresh basil from Trader Joes, or 1 large very large bunch from a farmer’s market. Stems removed.)
• Either ¾ cups walnuts or ½ cups pine nuts, toasted in a skillet until fragrant and then cooled
• Juice of 1 lemon
• Zest of 1 lemon
• ¼ cup water
• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, grated on a micro plane, or mashed into a paste (the idea here is that you want a hint of garlic and not raw chunks)
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• ½ cup Parmesan cheese
• 2 large heirloom or 3 farm stand tomatoes (look for the heirlooms as their seed to flesh ration is much lower.
• 8 oz dry rigatoni pasta – and yes, you need to use rigatoni. Penne won’t stand up to this dish

Brining liquid

• ¼ cup kosher salt
• 1/8 cup Emeril’s Original Essence
• 1 clove of garlic, smashed
• Cold water to cover the chicken in a stockpot

Method:

Brine and Grill the Chicken

Mix the dry brining liquid ingredients in a stockpot; Add 1 or 2 inches of water; stir to dissolve the salt as much as possible. Add the chicken and the garlic. Cover the chicken with cold water. Cover and place in the refrigerator for 2 – 6 hours. (Trust me – this step is worth it and results in amazingly moist and tender meat. Once you brine poultry you will never go back!)

After the allotted time, remove the chicken and pat it dry. Dust it with Emeril’s Original Essence and fresh cracked pepper.

Grill on a medium high flame (gas) or ash white coals until done, typically about 5 – 7 minutes per side. Remove the chicken, tent with foil and let rest for 10 minutes. Then remove the skin and cut the chicken into 1-inch chunks. Cover with foil to keep warm.

Prep the Tomatoes and Pesto:

While the chicken is brining you can prepare the tomatoes and pesto.

To prepare the tomatoes, chop them into 1-inch chunks, place them in a medium sized bowl and sprinkle them with a pinch of kosher salt and a few grinds of pepper. Set them on the kitchen counter until needed. DO NOT put in the refrigerator.

Then make the pesto. In a food processor, pulse the basil, nuts, lemon juice, lemon zest, water, garlic and salt until well chopped. Then whirl in the processor as you stream in the olive oil. Scrape the sides mid-way. Do not add the cheese. That comes later. Scrape this mixture into a large bowl. Don’t be alarmed if this tastes bland. The flavors need to come together, plus it is lacking cheese, which will come later. (Sheryl told me to make sure to tell you that.)

Toss the tomatoes with a little salt and pepper and allow them to rest in a separate bowl. If you can’t find heirlooms and need to use everyday tomatoes, slice them in half before you cut them into chunks and squeeze out as much of the water and seeds as possible. You will appreciate this extra step later when your sauce is not watery.

Cook the Pasta

Fill a large stockpot with water, bring to a boil and add a handful of kosher salt. Cook the pasta until al dente, typically about 8 – 10 minutes. Drain thoroughly

Assemble the dish

Add to the bowl of pesto in this order, stirring after each ingredient:

• Tomatoes
• Pasta
• Chicken
• Cheese

Serve with a dusting of Parmesan cheese and a grind or two of fresh cracked black pepper.

Enjoy!