Recipes for the week of 7/18 to 7/24

Chicken with Eggplant, Capers & Black Olives (p. 86)

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 1/4 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 medium eggplant, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces

1 cup diced onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

One 14-ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained

1 cup canned pitted black olives, drained and thinly sliced

1 teaspoon drained thyme

1 teaspoon dried oregano

2 bay leaves

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside. To the same skillet, add the eggplant, onion, and garlic and cook, stirring,until softened, about 3 minutes. Return the chicken to the pan and add the tomatoes, olives, capers, thyme, oregano andbay leaves. Bring to a simmer, reduce the heat to low, then partially cover the skillet and simmer until the chicken iscooked through, about 5 minutes.

2. Remove from the heat, remove the bay leaves, stir in the basil, season with salt and pepper, and serve.

Traditional Potato Salad (p. 266)

2 pounds small red potatoes (8 to 10), quartered

2 tablespoon cider vinegar

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1 stalk celery, chopped

1/4 cup minced red onion

3 tablespoons pickle relish

2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

2 large hard-boiled eggs, peeled and diced

1. Place the potatoes in a large pot and pour over enough water to cover. Set the pan over high heat, bring to boil, and letboil until the potatoes are fork-tender, about 8 minutes. Drain and transfer to a large bowl. Add the vinegar and toss tocoat the potatoes.

2. In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, celery, onion, relish, mustard, and parsley. Add to the potatoes and toss tocombine well. Season with salt and pepper. Fold in the eggs and serve warm or chilled.