Ah, the day after Memorial Day; back to work and leftovers to deal with. Our Chicago kids were with us here on the river and, though we know they are vegetarians, we still grilled too much chicken. Perhaps, unconsciously, that is just what we intended. Because grilled chicken can be turned into great chicken salad. We had two large breasts left over.
First, remove the skin (we usually grill chicken breasts, on the bone with the skin on). We use our fingers (or a fork) to pull the meat off the bone and then to slightly shred it. (You might choose to pull it off the bone and then cut it into small pieces.) Place the chicken in a large bowl. Then finely dice an onion equal to ¾ cup. Do the same with celery. Finely dice half a green pepper. Add all of these to the bowl.
Next, add a cup of mayonnaise, a tbs of celery seed, and at least ¼ cup finely minced fresh tarragon (of course, dried may be substituted, but use less). Mix gently. If you need more moisture, add a bit of milk.
For lunch, we use small, freshly baked rolls, split and spread with the chicken salad. Add a green salad (have you noticed we don’t eat unless there is a green salad?) and perhaps some chips or fruit, and you have a great summer lunch.
This being summer, we allow ourselves a glass of wine with lunch (or, being honest, sometimes a cold beer). The wine we’ll drink today is a 2008 “The Stump Jump” from d’Arneberg, a blend of Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Marsanne, and Roussanne. So where did they get the name? In South Australia (this is another Australian wine) a “stump jump” is a plow that is constructed in such a way that it can ride over stumps and roots while still doing its job. So, the grapes having been grown in South Australia, the name seemed appropriate, we guess. Who knew?
On the nose we immediately notice the dominance of the Riesling with a good deal of citrus. But you know how sometimes you can actually smell the sweetness of a Riesling? Not so here. There is some welcome minerality. The citrus melds into tropical fruit and white flowers on the palate, with just a touch of spice.
Trust us, this is not an expensive wine, but it is one that produces pleasure for the value. It is a great partner for the chicken salad (and still would be if you had chosen to add some green grapes and pecans). If you had leftover chicken, join us on the porch for lunch. We’ll sip “The Stump Jump,” enjoy the leftover chicken, watch the river glide by, and give thanks for a beautiful day.
