Bern's Chicken Curry Salad for Two Recipe

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The legendary and prestigious Bern’s Steakhouse in Tampa divulges the recipe for its chicken curry salad.

Bern’s Steak House is undoubtedly one of the state’s most prestigious restaurants, and it didn’t get there by just serving great steaks that range from $30 to $200. The legendary Tampa kitchen also serves gourmet chicken, lamb, caviar, salads – all to the highest standards of freshness and health. It grows its own herbs and organic vegetables and uses free-range chicken.

That’s not to say their dishes can’t be re-created in your kitchen, but a trip to the farmer’s market or organic foods section is helpful in attaining the same flavors. That includes using free-squeezed lime juice for this Chicken Curry Salad, which has been a classic staple of the restaurant since it opened in 1956.

PREP:
Use whole chicken, or any bone-in chicken.
Make glaze with 1 1/2 cups light soy, 2 tbsps sugar, 1 tbsp vegit, coin-size crushed fresh ginger, 3 cloves of crushed garlic.
Bring to boil the glaze and reduce by 25 percent.
Pour over the chicken and bake until done at 325 degrees. Turn the chicken 2-4 times while cooking.
One chicken or equivalent to one chicken is enough to serve 2-4 people. The chicken probably will yield about 3 cups of pulled chicken. Once your chicken is ready, the preceding recipe is:  

Bern's Chicken Curry Salad for Two

2 cups cooked chicken, shredded
1 cup celery, chopped
2/3 cup pecans, chopped
1 head endive, washed & separated into spears
Kosher salt & pepper to taste

When ready to serve, combine chicken, pecans and celery in medium bowl, and toss to combine. Next add approximately 1/2 cup dressing (recipe below) to mixture and stir to coat. If you prefer your salad creamier, add more dressing. To serve, arrange endive leaves on plate and fill with chicken salad. Top with extra pecans.

For dressing:

2 cups mayonnaise

Pinch cayenne pepper

2 tbsp. curry powder

1/4 tsp. Tabasco sauce

1 tbsp. lime juice

Place mayonnaise in bowl of food processor or blender. With blender on low, slowly add cayenne powder and mix until smooth. Scrape sides, and repeat process with curry, Tabasco and lime juice. The dressing can be stored in the refrigerator until ready to use, for up to one week.