Carpaccio of Avocado and Chicken Salad Thai Style

YIELD: 8 servings

Chicken Salad:
24 oz. chicken breast
2 oz. Meyer lemon segments
1¼ oz. red onion, julienned
1 oz. green beans, thinly sliced on the bias
1 oz. avocado oil
¼ oz. cilantro, chopped
½ oz. fish sauce
⅛ oz. hibiscus powder
Salt and pepper, as needed
Yellow Curry Sauce:
12 oz. coconut milk
1 pinch saffron
1 oz. yellow curry paste
Avocado Pulled Tea:
20 oz. water
½ oz. white tea
4 oz. fresh California avocado
½ oz. fresh spinach
¾ oz. sugar
Vinaigrette:
½ oz. Meyer lemon juice
1 oz. avocado oil
½ oz. fish sauce
⅛ oz. hibiscus powder
Salt and pepper, as needed
4 large (about 8 oz. ea.) California avocados, cut in half, peeled and seeded

1. For chicken salad: Heat a grill to medium high heat. Grill the chicken until cooked through. Set aside to cool.

2. In a large bowl, combine the lemon segments, onion, green beans, avocado oil, cilantro, fish sauce and hibiscus powder. Season with salt and pepper. When chicken is cooled, slice into thin, bite-size slices. Mix into the salad and toss lightly. Refrigerate until service.

3. For yellow curry sauce: In a saucepan, combine all ingredients. Heat to a boil and let steep for 5 minutes. Reserve warm.

4. For avocado pulled tea: In a pot, bring water to 180°F. Add tea; steep for 2 minutes. Purée the avocado, spinach and sugar with the tea, then strain. Pull tea between 2 large pitchers for about 1 minute until tea is frothy.

5. For vinaigrette: Mix all ingredients together.

6. To plate: Thinly slice 4 oz. avocado per plate and fan out lengthwise to serve as the carpaccio. Dress with ½ oz. vinaigrette. Place a tall stack (about 2/3 cup) of the chicken salad on top of the center of the fanned avocado slices. Garnish the plate with 2 large accents (1½ oz.) of yellow curry sauce. Repeat with remaining 7 servings. Serve each serving with 1/3 cup of the avocado pulled tea.

Recipe: Matthew Vasquez. Photo: Eurest Dining Services