Jeopardy, Rain, Solar Impulse Plane.

I learnt a phrase, which I thought was funny, on Jeopardy last Friday. Restaurant speak “nervous pudding” – Jello. Priceless. I have mentioned this is a programme I rarely, if ever, miss. I tried out for it a couple of times, but then I heard if you do get through, you have to pay for all of the trips to the various qualifying rounds which I would imagine, with hotel fees, etc. would amount to quite a bit of money and then, even if you get to be on the show, you might still only win $1,000 if you are beaten by the others. Not a gamble we could afford to take certainly. Maybe when I was a working girl, but not now.

It’s June. We finally had rain this weekend, I just am not sure we had enough for the farmers, or in fact for all the plants which have been suffering from a lack of water. We have all been feeling sorry for Texas and the dreadful floods, but I heard that they too have been suffering drought conditions in some areas. That to me is almost inconceivable. Some people are suffering weather extremes -  wanting the furnace one day and the air conditioner the next. It seems things are totally screwed up with the weather lately. The rain we got came with full on thunderstorms and loud crashes. Not a lot of lightening though. Saw a couple of flashes maybe. It wasn’t one of those good rains which consistently falls for several hours though, so I am not sure how much good it did. In fact we did have some more on Saturday night and Sunday morning so that will have helped. In the end it rained most of Sunday.

Interesting story on the news about a solar impulse plane which is being flown on trials now. It is presently flying across the Sea of Japan on its way to Hawaii which is the longest leg of it’s journey in an attempt to circumnavigate the world.  The pilot can only take a 20 minute sleep at a time. It has huge wings which carry the solar panels, much bigger than any existing plane, but it weighs less than an SUV. They have to be particularly careful about the weather.

Asparagus and Smoked Chicken Salad With Ginger Dressing

 New York Times.

• Yield 4 servings

Asparagus takes easily to many kinds of seasonings, so after you’ve tired of having it plain with butter or homemade mayonnaise, try this spicy dressing laced with ginger and chiles. Adding smoked chicken is a nice way to make a more substantial first course or light lunch. You can purchase smoked chicken at better butcher shops or online, but equally good is grilled chicken at room temperature, or cold poached chicken. I sometimes substitute lightly smoked ham or smoked slab bacon, simmered until tender.

Ingredients

For the vinaigrette:

• 1 large shallot, finely diced, about 2 tablespoons
• 3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• Salt to taste
• Generous pinch of cayenne
• 1 tablespoon grated ginger
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 teaspoons sesame oil
• ¼ cup vegetable oil

For the salad:

• 1 pound asparagus
• Salt and pepper
• 1 serrano chile, thinly sliced (optional)
• ½ cup roasted peanuts, crushed
• ¾ pound smoked chicken, sliced
• 1 large lime, halved
• Basil, mint and cilantro leaves, about 1/2 cup total

Preparation

1. To make the vinaigrette, put shallots in a small bowl. Add vinegar, sugar, mustard, salt and cayenne and let steep for 5 minutes. Add ginger and garlic, then whisk in sesame oil and vegetable oil. Taste and adjust seasoning.
2. Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Snap off the tough end of each asparagus spear, then cut each spear into 2-inch lengths. Cut thicker pieces in half lengthwise as necessary so all cut pieces are approximately the same size. Place asparagus pieces into boiling water and cook for 1 minute. Drain and cool under running water. Blot dry.
3. To make the salad, put asparagus in a salad bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Add chile, if using, and crushed peanuts. Dress with half the vinaigrette and toss to coat.
4. Arrange dressed asparagus on a platter or on individual plates. Tear chicken slices into strips and scatter over asparagus. Drizzle a little more vinaigrette over the salad and give it a good squeeze of lime. Garnish with basil, mint and cilantro leaves and serve immediately.

Have a great day