Chef's Recipe Brings 'Zing, Spice' to Farmers Market

Shoppers at the Farmers Market were treated to a special meal Saturday, courtesy of Saint Barnabas Medical Center and the Mayors Wellness Campaign.

Jesse Kraft, the chef from Saint Barnabas, used fresh produce from the Chatham Borough Farmers Market to prepare a health-conscious meal for shoppers. He also handed out copies of the recipe, discussed his cooking practices and gave tips on preparing the dish. He even shared one of his favorite ways to prepare the dish, saying "it does well 24 hours later, you can prepare it the day before and let it sit in the fridge."

The recipe for Kraft's Summer Cous Cous Salad with Cilantro Grilled Chicken is below. The proportions included serve four, Kraft said.

Summer Cous Cous Salad with Cilantro Grilled Chicken

Chicken:

• 4 ea. 5 oz. chicken breast, boneless, cleaned and pounded
• 2 tbsp lime juice
• 1 tbsp cilantro
• 1 tbsp minced garlic
• 1/2 tbsp ground cumin
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat grill to medium heat. In a mixing bowl combine all ingredients except chicken. Mix well. Add chicken and coat well. Let chicken marinate for 15 minutes.

Place chicken on grill and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Flip the chicken and cook for an additional 3 to 4 minutes, or until the chicken has reached 165 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 seconds.

Remove from heat.

Summer Cous Cous Salad:

• 1 cup cous cous, cooked and cooled
• 1/4 cup diced tomatoes
• 1/4 cup diced turnips
• 1/4 Jersey corn kernels
• 1 cup baby arugula
• 1 tbsp chopped basil
• 1 tbsp chopped cilantro
• 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 2 tbsp virgin olive oil
• Salt and paper to taste

Preheat oven to 350. Coat diced turnips and corn kernels with 1 tbsp olive oil. Place on a baking pan and roast for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool.

Mix all ingredients in a mixing bowl.

For plating, place 1/4 of salad mixture on the center of a plate. Top with chicken breast (slicing the chicken into strips looks wonderful.) Garnish with a lime wheel and sprig of cilantro.