Tasty Tuesdays: Bar La Grassa and a White Bean and Roasted Chicken Salad

We started our weekend getaway in Minneapolis with a fantastic meal at Bar La Grassa.   Mark and I shared the soft eggs (which someone hinted were whipped with cream cheese) and lobster bruschetta.   Wow!  Talk about a tasty bite.  The lobster pieces were gently folded into the lightly scrambled eggs and served over perfectly grilled bread. 

Bar La Grassa's Fois Gras Ravioli

For dinner, we chose to do small portions of their pastas so we could taste more than one dish.  I'll admit that I had a hard time narrowing it down to just two things!!  Mark ordered the porcini stracci and the fois gras tortellini.  The stracci was very flavorful, but my favorite of the two he ordered would certainly be the fois gras tortellini.  It was smoky and rich and the perfect small plate.  I had the silk handkerchiefs with basil pesto which was wonderful.  My other choice was the gnocci with cauliflower and orange.  The gnocci had the perfect texture and the roasted cauliflower added such a lovely flavor to this dish.  It was the highlight of the meal!!

Before our meal ever began, we were treated to some very delicious flavors in what appeared to be pickled white beans with olive oil.  This little taste was delivered to our table, and from the moment I took my first bite, I knew we were in for a great meal.  For the past few days, I have been looking for recipes inspired by that dish, and I think I may have found a perfect match. 

This Cooking Light recipe for White Bean and Roasted Chicken Salad combines my favorite flavors: fresh basil, tomatoes, mustard, and lemon juice with hearty but healthy ingredients like white beans and roasted chicken.  I am always in search of new lunch ideas, and this one sounds just right.  I think I'll be making this tonight to enjoy the rest of the week!

White Bean and Roasted Chicken Salad

Yield: 5 servings (serving size: about 1 1/4 cups)

Ingredients

Salad:

2 cups coarsely chopped skinless, boneless rotisserie chicken
1 cup chopped tomato

1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion

1/3 cup sliced fresh basil

2 (16-ounce) cans cannellini beans or other white beans, rinsed and drained

Dressing:

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

2 tablespoons extravirgin olive oil

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 garlic cloves, minced

Preparation

To prepare salad, place first 5 ingredients in a large bowl; stir gently to combine.

To prepare dressing, combine vinegar and remaining ingredients, stirring with a whisk. Drizzle over salad, tossing gently to coat.

Nutritional Information

Calories:369 (25% from fat)

Fat:10.1g (sat 2g,mono 5.7g,poly 1.7g)
Fiber:9.6g