Ingredients

• Salt
• 1 1/2 pounds ground chicken
• 1 tablespoon grill seasoning (recommended: Montreal Steak Seasoning by McCormick)
• 1 teaspoon, 1/3 palm full, fennel seeds
• 1/4 cup tender sun-dried tomatoes (available in pouches or tubs in produce section)
• 1 cup, 20 leaves fresh basil, divided
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus some to drizzle
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, eyeball it in your palm
• 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
• Pepper
• 1 pound gnocchi, potato dumplings, from refrigerated or frozen foods section of market
• Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Romano, 1/2 cup – a couple of handfuls, plus some to pass at table
• Crusty bread, to pass at table
• Peppery Salad, recipe follows

Directions

Peppery Salad:

2 teaspoons steak seasoning

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, eyeball it

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, eyeball it

6 large radishes, thinly sliced

1 green Italian cubanelle pepper, seeded and very thinly sliced

4 scallions, chopped on an angle

1 cup chopped pickled green beans, available on condiment aisle, or hot pickled Italian vegetable salad, Giardiniera, drained well

2 bunches, 6 cups, arugula, cleaned and trimmed, coarsely chopped

Handful flat-leaf parsley, coarsely chopped

Salt

Place the steak seasoning and vinegar in the bottom of a small bowl then whisk in extra-virgin olive oil and let dressing stand 10 to 15 minutes.

Add the radishes, peppers, pickled vegetables, arugula and parsley to a salad bowl. When you're ready to serve the salad, dress it, toss and season it with salt, if necessary, to taste.

Yield: 4 servings

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: none

Ease of preparation: easy