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Alfresco

An old-fashioned picnic menu
with some new twists.

ANNABEL COHEN
Special to the Jewish News

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ne of the distinct pleasures of summer is eating outdoors, in your
yard, at a park or listening to your favorite music under the stars.
There's something about spreading a blanket over the warm grass and
unwrapping your meal that seems like you're back in the old days,
when the picnic was a favorite family outing. It's one of those "life doesn't get
better than this" experiences.
In times past, before concerns about bacteria and fat prevented us from pack-
ing wicker baskets with mayo-laden salads and cold fried chicken, the only
things people worried about were ants and a thunderstorm.
Today, we have super-safe coolers and ice packs to keep our foods pristine and
fridge-fresh. And the menus are updated, too.
The following recipes are perfect outdoor eating or picnic fare. They include
updated, healthier sandwiches and even a cold summer soup made from fresh
tomatoes and basil. There's potato salad, too, but it's made with vinaigrette for
utmost fresh taste. Fruity cookie bars round out this wrap-and-go
menu.
Make yourself iced tea or lemonade (even store-bought is good
doctored up with fresh lemon slices and berries), poured over
copious amount of ice in tall glasses.
.
Outdoor concerns are greater now. We worry less about ants
and more about West Nile virus. So, spray on your favorite repel-
lent and get packing.

PEPPER GRILLED CHICKEN POCKETS WITH CHUTNEY
8 boneless and skinless chicken breasts (about 3 pounds)

Marinade:
/ 4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup soy sauce
juice of 1 lemon
3 T olive oil
2 T. brown sugar
1 T. fresh minced garlic or 2 t. granulated garlic (not garlic powder)
1 t. ground black pepper (not finely ground), or more to taste
Sandwiches:
4 large pitas
8 large bibb or other lettuce leaves, torn into pieces
8 grilled chicken breasts
2 cups very thin sliced cucumbers,
peeled or unpeeled
1 cup roasted red pepper strips
(canned or jarred is fine)
1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves
1 cup prepared mango or other chut-
ney
Remove visible fat from the chicken
breasts. Set aside while you prepare
the marinade.
Combine marinade ingredients in
large bowl and whisk well. Add the
chicken and turn the breasts to coat
well. Cover with plastic wrap and chill
the chicken from 30 minutes to 5
hours. Remove the breasts from the
refrigerator about and hour before
cooking.
Heat grill to medium-Iigh. Remove
the breasts from the marinade and
place on the hot grill (discard mari-
Chilled soups, like
nade). Grill on both sides until just cooked
through, about 5 minutes on each side (do
not overcook). Allow the chicken to cool
before cutting it into thin strips, across the
roasted tomato soup
grain (you must cool the chicken so that the
juices will not make the sandwiches soggy).
Make the sandwiches. Cut the pitas in half
and gently open the 8 pockets. Divide the
with fresh basil,
lettuce among the pockets, lining one side of
the pockets (do not stuff the lettuce into the
bottom of the pockets). Add the chicken
make a great addition
breasts in the same way (the lettuce will pro-
tect the pita from the moisture of the chick-
en). Add the cucumbers, red peppers,
cilantro and chutney. Wrap the pockets well
to alfresco dining.
in plastic wrap and transport them, standing
up (open ends up). Makes 8 sandwiches.

ALFRESCO

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2003

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