Leftovers and Chicken Salad

By Steph Farrar

My husband and I started a side musical project a few years ago called Bubble and Strife. Our anecdote: Husband and Wife. Husband and Strife. Bubble and Squeak. Bubble and Strife.

In short, Leftovers.

Sam was in a band for almost 15 years called Phantom Planet and I was in a band called Agent Sparks. Unfortunately both have disbanded and life has moved on, but the music is still out there... and will be forever. So in a sense the music never dies, even if you want it to.

After a few years of neither Sam nor I grazing a stage, we decided it was time to face that long-winded fear. We, leftovers of years of touring and making music, compiled a handful of original songs and covers and somehow pulled off a thirty-five minute set, opening for Ben Ottewell from Gomez. For our first show, it was pretty damn good... especially for new parents who were operating on little to no sleep at the time. It's now been over a year since our last show... that urge is coming upon us both again.

So on to leftovers. Do you ever buy rotisserie chickens from the market? I buy at least one a week, even if I plan to roast a whole one at some point during said week. It's nice to have around, especially with a picky kid-eater. Fried rice, chicken pasta with broccoli, minced lettuce cups, and definitely chicken salad.

Add whatever you have around, nuts, dried fruit, crunchy fruit

My first favorite way to enjoy leftovers is a schmorgesborg of whatever is in the fridge: chicken, carrots, celery with hummus, jarlsberg and brie cheeses with salami and crackers, a spicy mustard or fig dip, grapes, almonds, and always tons of olives.

My second favorite? Chicken salad. If the diced chicken is accompanied by a crunchy fruit and/or vegetable, dried fruit of some kind like cranberries or raisins, a nut of some sort, some herbs, a tiny dollup of mayo or yogurt, olive oil, salt and pepper... we'll eat the whole bowl in one sitting.

Chicken Salad2

If I'm not daytime drinking wine, I'll always settle for a Pellegrino aranciata. The chicken salad doesn't even need bread, but if you have it and aren't on a starch-free fix, enjoy an italian or French loaf slice, even a cracker.

Aranciata always

When you're done with your rotisserie chicken, don't trash it! Stick it in your slow cooker, add water, onion, celery, carrots, herbs, salt and pepper. Let it slow cook overnight, strain solids and bam... you'll have an incredible homemade chicken stock. Full recipe to come.

I'm proud of my leftovers. You should be too.

Chicken Salad with Cranberries, Apple, Toasted Walnuts

Ingredients:

• 1-2 lbs. diced rotisserie chicken

• 1/4 cup chopped red onion

• 1/2 cup toasted walnuts

• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro

• 1/4 cup dried cranberries or raisins

• 1/3 cup diced green apple

• 1/4 cup diced celery

• 2-3 tbsp mayo or greek yogurt

• 1/4 cup olive oil

• Juice of one lemon

• salt and pepper

*toast french loaf slices, top with olive oil, chicken salad, sliced avocado and arugula & season with salt and pepper

 Directions:

Literally put everything in a nice size bowl and gently mix together.

Season with salt and pepper.

Enjoy as a salad, sandwich, or appetizer on a cracker

Ahi Tuna Burgers with Soy Glaze

By Steph Farrar

I’m positive Sam was a fish in a former life. If you are what you eat, then I am spot on. He eats more fish than most and because of it has moderately high cholesterol. I should encourage him to get into swimming again. Or maybe start eating Cheerios?

Neither one of us enjoy the gym, although I’m comfortable in one. If I need to sweat out some aggression and it’s 102 degrees outside, I can turn on some music and zone out for hours an hour. Sam, however, does not like the meaty vibe in our local L.A. Fitness. It's not hard to understand why... not only does it reek Studio City, but in general, it just reeks. He been known to use the pool because, as I said, he was a fish.

Ingredients for Ahi Burgers

Last year, when I began cooking more than usual, he built me a kitchen cart from scratch. It decorates one corner of our kitchen which has lovely natural light. It folds down easily, flush with the wall, so when needed we can exit our side door. It's stained a nice cutting board color and anchored to our freshly painted white walls. This table made its debut with the Tomato Tarte Tatin, but I knew for a while I wanted a cart for that corner. In fact, before Sam made the table, I purchased a cart from Target. It was the exact size of the corner, or so I thought. There is truth here, but I neglected, after spending nearly 4 hours of my life building it, to include the length of the doorknob into my calculations. So in order to roll it into its corner, I had to remove the doorknob.

Needless to say, I had to return it. And since I put the damn thing together, they only took it back for store credit. I can always use credit at Target but I’d like the cash back. Whatever. Target Shmarget.

Pulling from a magazine

Anyway, I mention the table cause I wanted to present this gorgeous tuna burger on my newest addition. The table wasn't ready when the sandwiches were, but they still look delicious on the cutting board. And they were. The soy glaze and that dripping mustard blew Sam’s head off. Which he needed after about 6 straight hours practicing nineteen new songs he had to perfect for upcoming tour. I only made two sandies, but this recipe makes 6 burgers. If you can, use La Brea Bakery ciabatta-like burger buns, baked for a few minutes.

It’s official. He’s a fish and this is his favorite new sandwich. I win.

Final touches

Ahi Tuna Burgers with Soy Glaze

adapted directly from August 2012 Cooking Light

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup mayonanaise

• 3/4 teaspoon soy sauce

• 1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

• 3 tbs Sriracha

• 2 lbs. cold sushi-grade ahi tuna, cut into cubes

• 2 1/2 tbs Chinese hot mustard

• 2 small garlic cloves, finely grated

• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

• Canola oil, for brushing

• 6 hamburger buns

• 3 tbs Soy Glaze (recipe below)

• thinly sliced scallions, baby lettuce, sliced tomatoes

Directions:

In a bowl, whisk the mayo, soy sauce, sesame oil and 2 tbsp Sriracha.

In s food processor, pulse one-third of the tuna at a time, until finely chopped. Transfer for a bowl and repeat with all the tuna.

Preheat a grill pan over medium-high heat.

Mix the Chinese mustard, garlic, 2 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper into the chopped tuna. Use lightly moistened hands and form the tuna into 6 round patties.

Brush with oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill over high heat, turning once until lightly charred on the outside, 3-4 minutes total.

Spread the buns with the mayo, top with patties, drizzle 1 1/2 tsp Soy Glaze and 1/2 tsp Sriracha. Top with scallions, lettuce and tomato.

Soy Glaze

Whisk 2 tbsp cornstarch with 1 tbsp water.

In a small saucepan, whisk 1/2 cup soy sauce with 1/2 cup sake, 1/2 cup mirin, and 1/2 cup sugar.

Simmer over moderate heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves, 2 minutes.

Whisk in the cornstarch until slightly thick, 2 more minutes.

Transfer to a heatproof jar and cool. Stays in the fridge for 2 weeks.

p.s. I stole a bite.

So freaking good.