Chicken and Caprese Salad Focaccia Sandwich – sure that you like him

I was nine the first time that I fell in love.

Our relationship consisted of passing notes to each other during our school day. I remember the message because it was always the same:

 I love you. Do you love me?

Please circle yes or no

Love fascinated me. I prattled constantly to Dad about the inner workings of my heart. His advise was always the same. “It’s easy to love somebody, it’s way harder to like them. When you give your heart away, make sure you are giving it to someone you like.”

This weekend was a typical ‘get the farm ready for summer’ kind of weekend. When we work at the farm, hours pass without so much as a word spoken between us.

Late on Sunday afternoon, we were cleaning the farmhouse windows. We have cleaned windows together for twenty-three years. He washes the outside, while I clean the inside.

As our cloths polished each side of the glass, Ralph smiled at me. There were no violins playing or doves being released. It was just an ordinary moment doing ordinary stuff with someone I like.

I am having a ball playing with the bounty of my herb garden. For dinner Sunday I used rosemary, thyme blossoms, basil and oregano to create a slow roasted chicken and caprese salad focaccia sandwich – how’s that for a title!

Slow Roasted Chicken and Caprese Salad Focaccia Sandwich

serves 4

1 1/2 lbs chicken pieces – I used half of a 3 lb chicken

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1 lemon, juiced

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon thyme blossoms, chopped

1 tablespoon rosemary, chopped

1 tablespoon oregano, chopped

Mix ingredients together and pour over chicken

Cover chicken and marinate for 3 hours

Preheat oven 300*F

Place chicken in roasting pan with cover. Discard marinade

Roast for 2 hours – chicken should be falling off of the bones

While chicken is roasting, toss together:

1 cup grape tomatoes, quartered

2 tablespoons basil, chopped

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

juice of 1/2 lemon

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

Allow the flavours of the salad to marry and intensify while the chicken is roasting.

To assemble sandwich:

1 focaccia loaf, cut into 4 portions and split

1 large ball of buffalo milk mozzarella, divided in 4 pieces

Divide chicken meat between  the 4 sandwiches

Rip the mozzarella over the chicken

Top with the tomato salad.

Thanks for reading.