Ingredients
- 2 medium parsnips
- peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
- 2 small bulbs celeriac
- about 1 1/2 pounds
- completely trimmed and peeled (use a paring knife)
- cut into 1-inch chunks
- Salt
- 1/2 to 3/4 cup heavy cream or half-and-half
- 2 tablespoons butter
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 2 cups pecan halves
- ground in a food processor until finely chopped
- like bread crumbs
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 eggs
- lightly beaten
- 2 pounds chicken tenders
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil (eyeball it)
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 2 teaspoons dry mustard or 1 rounded tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)
- 6 cups mixed greens
Instructions
- For the celeriac-parsnip smash, place the parsnips and celeriac in a saucepan and add enough water to cover.
- Add a little salt and bring to a boil over high heat; cook until tender, 8 to 10 minutes.
- Drain in a colander and then return to the pot.
- Smash the cooked root vegetables with a fork or potato masher to desired consistency.
- Add the cream and butter and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- While the smash is cooking, prepare the chicken.
- In a shallow dish, combine the ground pecans and the cayenne pepper.
- In another shallow dish, place the lightly beaten eggs.
- Put the chicken tenders in the eggs, coating them completely.
- Draw them from the eggs, allowing the excess egg to drip off.
- Place the egg-coated chicken in the nut mixture and coat completely.
- Heat a large skillet with the vegetable oil over medium heat.
- As soon as you see a little ripple in the oil, add the pecan-coated chicken.
- Cook on each side for 3 to 4 minutes.
- Remove the chicken to a plate lined with a paper towel and season with salt while still hot.
- While the chicken is cooking, prepare the salad.
- In a small mixing bowl combine the lemon juice and mustard.
- Add a little salt and pepper and whisk in the EVOO.
- Add the mixed greens to a salad bowl and toss with the lemon-mustard dressing.
- Slice the pecan-crusted chicken and fan out on top of a bed of the salad.
- Serve the smashed root vegetables alongside.
- Celeriac is not pretty, but it is very tasty.
- Its celery root, or celery knob, and yup, being related and all, it tastes like a cross between celery and parsley.
- It makes a great lower-carb alternative to potatoes.
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