Rye Berry Salad with Grilled (Wine Marinated) Chicken Breast, White Eggplant & Purple Dandelions -- eating with your eye

I have been a lazy bone, especially when it comes to blogging.

It is not that I am tired of cooking -- I still cook everyday, and have managed not to repeat a single dinner for several months (with the exception of ratatouille and fish en pappillot). I'm also not tired of blogging -- it's still in the back of my head. In fact, there are so many pictures of food stored in my phone my local storage is running short.

The problem is: the day is getting shorter and shorter nowadays, and by the time I finish cooking, there simply isn't enough natural light to make the dish look as appetizing as it really is. I would usually spend a good 10 minutes moving the plate from one spot to another, holding down my urge to just devour the dish because it smells so good. Finally I'd be too hungry, and ended up settling on some photo snaps, and finish dinner in 5 minutes, hoping that lightroom will save the world when it comes to under/over/uneven exposure. (Don't judge the fact that it took me less time eating that fiddling with the lighting situation.)

Guess what? It is weekend today, which means that I got to visit the farmer's market and finish cooking before sunset!

Farmer's market is like a magical place. I can't pinpoint why, but it can always makes me extremely happy to see the fresh produce, to talk to the vendors, and to be inspired to cook!

Here is what I got this week:

Chaplin Farms:
plums $2 ($2.99/lb)

George Hall Farm:
organic leek $1.5 ($1.5/stalk) ~0.5lb
organic spaghetti squash $4 ($4/squash) ~ 5lb
organic onions $1 ($2/lb) ~0.6lb

Stone Gardens Farm:
dandelion greens (green + purple) $2 ($1/bundle)
collard greens $2 ($1/bundle)
yellow squash $1.5 ($3/lb) ~0.6lb
corns $1 ($0.5/ear)
bunch carrots $1 ($1/bunch) ~0.3lb

Yale Farm:
organic eggplants $2 ($2/lb) ~1.1lb

I noticed how every vendor tends to round down instead of rinding up. When they do it, I always feel a bit uncomfortable, but very grateful of course.

Rye Berry Salad Salad with Grilled (Wine Marinated) Chicken Breast, White Eggplant & Purple Dandelions

serves 2

• 1/4 cup red wine
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• 2 cloves garlic, pressed
• 1 tsp chopped fresh sage
• 1 tsp chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 chicken breasts, bone-in, skin on
• dash of salt and pepper

• 1/2 cup dried rye berries 
• 1 1/2 cup chicken stock

• 1/2 cup chopped fresh purple dandelion greens
• 1/4 cup chopped purple onions
• 1 tsp garlic granulate
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper

• 1 medium white eggplant
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• dash of salt 
• dash of freshly ground pepper

For the grilled chicken breast:

1. Combine the wine, lemon juice, pressed garlic, sage, cilantro, salt and pepper to form a marinade.  Marinade the chicken breast for at least an hour (or over night).
2. Heat up a non-stick grill pan over medium-high heat, grill the chicken breast, skin-side down until the skin becomes crispy, for about 15 minutes. Flip the breast and grill for another 15 minutes. Set aside.

For the grilled white eggplant:

1. Slice the eggplant into 1/2 inch thick steaks. Brush both sides with olive oil. 
2. Grill in the grill pan over medium heat for about 5 minutes per side. Season with salt and pepper.

For the rye berry salad:

1. Simmer the rye berries with chicken stock for about 45 minutes.
2. Add in chopped dandelion greens and onions. 
3. Combine the balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper. Toss with the rye berries and dandelion greens. 

To serve:

Divide the berry salad into two portions, and lay each portion on a plate. Top with half of the grilled eggplant and one chicken breast (sliced if you'd like).