Three chef-approved recipes for summer evenings, from lobster salad to club sarnies

From private chef in New York City to culinary sensation, Meredith Hayden has carved out her own corner in the food world, taking social media (and kitchens) by storm.

Known for her unfussy yet elegant approach to cooking, Hayden’s recipes strike the perfect balance between healthy, flavourful, and fun. Her philosophy? Cooking should be intuitive, joyful, and rooted in the senses.

“You must cook with your senses. Listen, watch, smell, touch, and taste your food,” says Hayden, author of The Wishbone Kitchen. “Let’s say that, by the end of the cooking process and after following the measurements and instructions to a T, you taste the dish and it’s underwhelming. This is completely normal, and I encourage you to have the confidence to take the wheel.

Add a pinch of salt and see how you feel. Better? Add another. Getting there? Try a splash of lemon juice or a drizzle of olive oil. Recipes are not hard-and-fast rules – they’re sources of inspiration, so trust your instincts.”

Chicken cutlet club

Chicken cutlet club from ‘The Wishbone Kitchen’

Makes 4 sandwiches

  • 1½ lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced and pounded into ¼ in-thick cutlets
  • ½ cup (60g) plain flour
  • 2 medium eggs, beaten
  • 2 cups (170g) panko breadcrumbs
  • 8 slices bacon
  • Vegetable oil, for frying
  • 12 slices white bread
  • 2 medium tomatoes, preferably heirloom, sliced ¼ in thick
  • ½ medium head green cabbage, finely shredded on a mandoline
  • 1 cup (240ml) buttermilk ranch dressing
  • Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C Fan/Gas mark 6.

Season the chicken. Coat each cutlet in flour, then egg, then panko, pressing the crumbs in so they adhere. Transfer to a roasting tray and chill for 15 minutes.

Heat 1-2in of oil in a high-sided pan over a medium-high heat until it reaches 180°C. Fry the cutlets in batches, until golden brown – about three minutes per side. Transfer to a wire rack and season with a pinch of salt.

Lightly toast the bread. Season the sliced tomatoes and transfer to a kitchen towel. In a mixing bowl, combine the cabbage with enough ranch to coat and a pinch of salt.

Start each sandwich with a slice of toasted bread. Layer on a handful of dressed cabbage, a cutlet, a drizzle of ranch dressing, a second slice of bread, 2 pieces of bacon, 1 to 2 slices of tomato, another handful of cabbage, more ranch to taste, and a final piece of bread. Skewer with toothpicks in each corner, then cut into quarters. Serve.

Lobster avocado salad

Lobster avocado salad

Serves 4

For the herb dressing:

  • 2⁄3 cup (150ml) mayo  
  • ¼ cup (15g) fresh basil leaves
  • 2 tbsp roughly chopped fresh tarragon
  • 2 tbsp roughly chopped fresh chives
  • ½ small shallot, roughly chopped
  • ½ lemon, zested and juiced (1-2 tbsp)
  • ¼ tsp coarse salt

For the salad:

  • 4 heirloom tomatoes, sliced  ¼ in thick
  • 1 avocado, peeled, pitted, and sliced
  • 2 heads butterhead lettuce, leaves separated
  • 1 head frisée lettuce, leaves separated
  • 1 lemon, halved
  • ½ cup (25g) basil leaves, torn into 1-in pieces
  • ¼ cup (15g) tarragon leaves
  • ¼ cup (12g) finely chopped fresh chives
  • 1 lb cooked lobster meat, cut into bite-sized chunks
  • Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
  • Flaky salt

Blitz the mayo, basil, tarragon, chives, shallot, lemon zest, 1 tbsp of lemon juice, and salt in a blender until smooth. Season to taste.

Season the tomato slices with flaky salt. Season the avocado slices with a pinch of flaky salt and a squeeze of lemon juice.

In a large bowl, combine the butterhead lettuce, frisée, basil and tarragon. Add a few tablespoons of dressing plus a few pinches of flaky salt. Toss to coat.

Arrange a layer of tomatoes and avocado on a serving platter or individual plates and drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil, then begin to build the salad. Top the tomatoes with a pile of the lettuce mixture, layer in the lobster, tomatoes and avocado, and repeat. Finish with a sprinkle of chives, freshly grated lemon zest, and another drizzle of olive oil.

Crushed olive dip

Crushed olive dip

Serves 4-6

  • 2 cups (360g) whole or pitted green olives (I like Castelvetranos)
  • ½ cup (15g) fresh flat-leaf parsley (thin stems are OK)
  • ¼ cup (60ml) extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 tbsp capers in brine, drained and rinsed
  • 1 garlic clove, peeled
  • 1 small shallot, peeled
  • 1 lemon, zested and juiced (about 2-3 tbsp)
  • 4 oz blue cheese, freshly crumbled, for serving
  • Hard crackers, for serving

Smash each olive with the flat side of your knife blade. Peel the olive flesh from the stone and set aside. Discard the stones.

To make the tapenade, in a food processor, combine the olive flesh, fresh parsley, olive oil, capers, garlic, shallot, lemon zest and lemon juice.

Blitz just until the mixture is finely and uniformly chopped.

Transfer the tapenade to a serving plate and pile the crumbled blue cheese alongside. Serve with crackers.

Recipes extracted from ‘The Wishbone Kitchen’ Ebury, £26

Post Related