Good morning. When there are snapper bluefish running in the bays nearby, I like to catch a couple and break them down into chunks and fillets — the chunks for a freestyle ceviche with mango, jalapeño, red onion and tons of lime, and the fillets for slathering with mayonnaise and mustard and roasting into excellence, just as my grandparents did, just as my parents did and, hopefully, just as my children will, down the generations. Mustard and mayonnaise are a phenomenal combination.
There haven’t been many bluefish this season, though. So this weekend I’m taking the compound — Dijonnaise, in the language of menus and recipes — to the poultry section of the food store, and making Ali Slagle’s new recipe for Dijonnaise grilled chicken breasts (above).
It’s so great. The cloaked meat is insulated from the heat of the grill and made tender by the acidity of the mustard. It picks up a bronzed crust, with just a hint of smoke, that responds well to a squeeze of lemon juice and an additional dollop of Dijonnaise. You could serve the breasts on a Caesar salad or — though it’s early for it — alongside a few ears of grilled corn.
Featured Recipe
Dijonnaise Grilled Chicken Breasts
Even better, maybe: Take the finished, rested chicken and slide it into a sandwich on toasted potato buns, with a smear of Dijonnaise, a few sliced pickles and a handful of shredded lettuce. That’s a taste of summer you won’t soon forget.
