Mediterranean Grilled Chicken Salad with Roast Garlic and Basil Dressing

This recipe is taken from ‘Books for Cooks 4’.  It was a favourite recipe on the menu at the Fruitmarket Gallery Cafe, the leading ‘art’ cafe in Edinburgh.  It is full of colour, flavour and anti-oxidants.

Serves 4

Preheat oven to 190°C (375°F) Gas 5

For the dressing
2 whole unpeeled garlic heads
1tsp creamy Dijon mustard
1 ½ tbs runny honey
3 handfuls of fresh basil leaves
4tbs cider vinegar
10tbs extra virgin olive oil
Black pepper

1. Wrap the whole heads of garlic in foil and roast until soft, about 45 minutes.  Cool slightly.
   Cut the roast garlic heads in half crosswise and squeeze out the soft garlic pulp from the papery skins into a food processor.
   Add the mustard, honey, basil and vinegar and, with the motor running, pour in the oil in a thin steady stream to make a thick green dressing.
   Add seasoning to taste

   For the Salad
   1 red onion, finely sliced
   6 sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained
   1 tin of artichoke hearts, drained and quartered
   3 tbs black olives, pitted
   125g (4oz) green beans, cut in half
   4 skinned, boned organic chicken breasts cut into strips
   2tbs olive oil
   Juice of 1 lemon
   Black pepper
   4 small handfuls of tender green leaves (choose from watercress, baby spinach, rocket, lamb’s lettuce, flat-leaf parsley)
   Fresh basil leaves to garnish

2. Put the onion, sun-dried tomatoes, artichokes and olives in a large bowl.  Blanch the green beans in boiling salted water for 2 minutes, then drain, refresh in cold water to stop the cooking and preserve their nice, bright green colour, drain again and add to the other salad ingredients.
3. Heat a cast-iron ridge grill pan over a medium heat.  When it is hot, lay on the chicken strips and pressing down well with a spatula.
4. Cook for 1 minute without turning or moving, until nicely striped with brown.  Transfer to a roasting tin, drizzle with the oil and lemon, sprinkle with pepper and roast until cooked through, about 10 to 20 minutes, depending on size.
5. You can serve the chicken while still warm or at room temperature.  Slice the chicken diagonally and toss with the dressing and the rest of the salad.