Curried Chicken Salad with Grapes and Pecans for a Summer Party

 LUCY BURDETTE:  A couple of weeks ago we had some wonderful Key West pals visiting. We wanted to invite some local friends to meet them and to celebrate summer--what better excuse to throw a party? 

I had the urge to cook, but it had to be dishes that could be mostly made ahead so I would stay calm and enjoy the party. I chose a few that I knew well and a couple new dishes.

 Here's the menu I came up with:

Hummus with crackers and crudites
Curried Chicken Salad
Asian Cucumber Salad
Tossed Salad (made by my friend Jane)
Assorted grilled sausages
Leek biscuits (courtesy of the amazing Guilford, CT bakery 4 and 20 Blackbirds)
Sesame noodle salad
Scarlet O'Hara cupcakes
Orange-glazed angel food cake (4 and 20 Blackbirds)
Italian cookies (made by my friend Annette)


 


The house guests were wonderful choppers and helped me keep the dishes washed. 

Meanwhile, these guys were keeping a close eye on the chicken salad. You all know Tonka by now, my Aussie.... If you think the red dog looks a little chagrined, this photo was taken after he snatched a stick of butter off the counter and devoured it while Tonka watched.:) His name is Henry, as in Henri Stentzel of AN APPETITE FOR MURDER fame.


CURRIED CHICKEN SALAD WITH GRAPES AND PECANS

One roasted chicken, skinned, boned
One bunch red grapes, washed and halved
3 Sprigs of dill, washed and chopped
1/2 cup toasted pecans
1/2 to 1 cup mayonnaise, to taste
1 tsp curry powder
2-3 ribs celery, washed and chopped

I used purchased roast chicken from the supermarket, but you could also use leftovers from your own roast chicken. Debone the chicken, strip off skin and any chewy bits, break into bite-sized pieces and add to a large bowl. Wash and chop 2-3 sticks of celery. Wash the red grapes, halve them and add to the bowl. Wash dill and snip into the bowl. Toast 1/2 cup pecan pieces and add them. 


 




Mix the mayonnaise with the curry powder and adjust seasoning. Fold this into the chicken mixture. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Dessert! The Scarlet O'Hara cupcakes for the chocolate people and the angel food cake for the rest...or some of each, which is what most chose:)

It was a wonderful night!















Here's a bit of happy book news: AN APPETITE FOR MURDER has gone back for a third printing--thanks to every one of you readers! And the edits on MURDER WITH GANACHE have been turned in to the publisher. Phew and yay!

Don't forget to Follow Lucy on Pinterest, or Facebook, or Twitter. The Key West food critic mysteries can be found wherever books are sold! MURDER WITH GANACHE, will be out in February--though you can pre-order it now!

Scarlet O'Hara Cupcakes by Lucy Burdette

Red Velvet Cupcake

SCARLET O’HARA CUPCAKES


Ever since I finished Elinor Lipman's latest novel, THE VIEW FROM PENTHOUSE B, I've had the urge to bake Scarlet O'Hara cupcakes, as one of her characters did. 


But what exactly is a Scarlet O'Hara cupcake? 


 

I Googled of course, and came up with this amazing Scarlet O'Hara cake. I wouldn't have the patience...

So then I turned to my Facebook pals who made a lot of suggestions. Most everyone recommended red velvet as the base, except for the one vote for sweet potato. The icing was trickier--how to show Scarlet's sass? Ginger? Peach? Chocolate ganache? Lemon? Cinnamon? Jalapeño???

I settled on red velvet with a raspberry cream cheese frosting. I don't know how authentic they were, but they tasted amazing!

LUCY'S SCARLET O'HARA CUPCAKES

2 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons white vinegar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
2 tablespoons red food coloring (one 1-ounce bottle)
12 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks)
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

FROSTING

1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1 cup confectioners' sugar
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 pinch salt
about 40 raspberries


Directions for the cake:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Put 20-22 cupcake liners in two cupcake pans.Whisk together flour, baking soda and salt in medium bowl.
Add the vinegar to the milk in a glass measuring cup and let this sit ten minutes or so. Whisk milk, vanilla and eggs in large measuring cup.

Mix cocoa with food coloring in small bowl until smooth paste forms.

In another bowl, beat butter and sugar together until fluffy, about 2 minutes, scraping down bowl as necessary. Add one-third of flour mixture and beat on medium-low speed until just incorporated, about 30 seconds. Add half of milk mixture and beat on low speed until combined, about 30 seconds. Repeat with half of remaining flour mixture, remaining milk mixture, and finally remaining flour mixture. Add cocoa mixture and beat on medium speed until completely incorporated, about 30 seconds.

Distribute the batter into the cupcake pans and bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 18-22 minutes. Cool the pans ten minutes, then finish cooling the cupcakes on a wire rack. (The trick here is not to over beat or over cook, or cupcakes will turn out tough and dry.)For the frosting: Beat the butter and cream cheese together until smooth. Beat in the sugar and then vanilla. Set aside the 20 best raspberries, beat the remainder into the frosting. 






Frost the cupcakes and decorate with a raspberry. Refrigerate if you aren’t eating them right away.


 




You will find this recipe in the fifth food critic mystery, the one after MURDER WITH GANACHE, which will be out in February--though you can pre-order it now!

Don't forget to follow Lucy on Twitter, Facebook, and Pinterest.