Wine: A lightly chilled Italian white – Biancolella or Pinot Grigio
Desert: Peach pie à la mode
Game Plan:
When you walk in the door
Get out Pantry Items
Get out Tools
Assemble the ingredients
Don’t refrigerate the chicken
Prep
Rub the chicken breasts all over with about 1 tbsp. olive oil, total. Sprinkle them on both sides lightly with salt.
Pinch the stems from the spinach, and wash and dry it, if necessary.
Peel and coarsely chop the garlic.
Peel and thinly slice the shallot.
Trim and rinse the zucchini. Cut it into 1/2-inch cubes.
Wash and pat dry the parsley, pluck 1 cup leaves.
Wash and pat dry the basil, pluck 2-1/2 cups leaves.
Measure ½ cup basil leaves and set it aside.
Put 4 cups water to boil in the medium saucepan.
Start Cooking
Place 1/4 cup olive oil and the garlic in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Stir and add the zucchini immediately.
Cook until the zucchini and garlic begin to turn golden, 5 to 6 minutes.
Sprinkle the zucchini with about 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes (if you want the soup a little zingy) and reduce the heat to medium.
Coarsely chop the parsley and the 2 cups basil and add to the zucchini mixture. Stir.
Season the zucchini with salt and cover it by about 3-1/2 inches with boiling water.
Cook for 10 minutes, partially covered.
While the zucchini is cooking, slice the chicken into 1/2-inch thick slices, then stir the pieces into the zucchini soup mixture. Cook for about 10 more minutes.
While the soup is cooking away, you need to make the salad dressing. Put 1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar into a bowl, and whisk in a generous pinch of salt.
Whisk in the shallot, then whisk in 1/4 cup olive oil. Taste it for seasoning.
Put the spinach in the bowl, add the almonds, get the salad servers, and take the bowl to the table.
Slice the bread.
Check the soup – the zucchini should be soft and the chicken should be cooked through.
Coarsely chop the reserved ½ cup basil leaves, and divide it among 4 individual soup bowls.
Get everyone to the table (ask them to take the bread and the wine).
Serve the soup into the soup bowls, atop the basil. You can toss the salad at the table after everyone has eaten their soup, and serve it then!
