A proposal, and a winter's dinner

Now that it's the depths of winter in MN, and that winter is on the way out in RVA, we propose an idea. We have Bittman's How to Cook Everything and it is just chock full of delicious chicken recipes. So, we here in RVA think it would be fun to try one new chicken dish every week or two and post about it. Are you all game?
Our first post will be a mock-chicken salad and cream of pea soup with avacado.



This tofu salad is a great favorite at our house, and it doesn't contain any noxious onions or garlic that must be avoided by E at this juncture. It does contain delicious curry powder, raisins, and carrots.

1/2 lb firm tofu
3 T mayonnaise
1 tsp curry powder
1 rib celery, run through a mandoline
1 carrot, run through a mandoline
1 large hand full of raisins
salt and pepper

1. Wrap the tofu block in a CLEAN cotton/linen kitchen towel and gently wring much of the moisture out of the tofu over the sink (really, a clean one. This will not be cooked). Drop tofu into bowl and crumble into course bread crumb size.
2. Stir in all remaining ingredients and chill at least 1 hour, covered to let flavors develop.

We made a green soup to go with our white and orange sandwich spread, and it turned out deliciously.



Cream of Pea and Avacado Soup

3-4 celery ribs, chopped finely
1 T butter
3-4 cups of chicken broth
3 cups of frozen peas
1 tsp dried dill
salt to taste (check it before salting, packaged broth is SUPER salty)
1/4 (or more) avacado
1/2 -1 cup whole milk

Soup is pretty forgiving, but here's how we made it.
1. Saute the celery in the butter for c. 10 minutes.
2. Add the chicken broth, and taste for saltiness. Bring to a full boil.
3. Add frozen peas, continue to boil on lower heat for 5 minutes. Add dill.
4. Take off the heat and add avacado and puree until smooth. Stir in milk to lighten the color.