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ByBonnieS.Benwick TheWashingtonPost In her stunning new cookbook, Australian food writer and stylist Donna Hay introduces this dish: "Robust kale needs a strong flavor to complement it, which is why the salty tang of preserved lemon is ideal, as well as the toasted nut- tiness of the almonds. You could eat this dish as a warm salad and it's the ideal leftover for lunch at the office." She's right. Preserved lemons are available on some grocery store olive bars, at specialty markets and at Sur La Ta- ble stores. P re ser ved L emon Chicken With Kale 4servings Rind of 1/2 preserved lemon (see headnote; may sub- stitute 1tablespoon finely grated lemon zest) 3cloves garlic 1tablespoon vegetable oil 1/4 cup slivered almonds 3cups cooked brown rice 1pound thinly sliced chicken cutlets 7ounces baby kale Cut the lemon rind into very thin, fine pieces (like shreds) to yield 2tablespoons. Smash the garlic with the flat side of a chef's knife, then coarsely chop. Com- bine those ingredients in a small bowl, then stir in the oil until well incorporated. Heat a large skillet, prefer- ably cast-iron, over high heat. Add half of the lemon mixture and all of the al- monds; cook, stirring, for 3 minutes or until the almonds are golden; adjust the heat as needed to keep the garlic from burning. Add the rice and cook for 5to 7minutes, stirring o en, until warmed through and slightly crisped. Remove from the heat; transfer the rice mixture to a bowl. Meanwhile, rinse the kale and pat it dry. Wipe out the skillet and return it to high heat. Add the remaining lemon mixture and the chicken; cook for 3 to 4minutes, using tongs to keep the chicken moving, turning it as needed, until the chicken has browned on both sides. Add the kale; cook for 30 seconds to 1minute, using tongs to keep it moving. Return the rice mixture to the skillet; cook for 2min- utes, stirring, until warmed through. Divide among individual plates. Serve warm. Nutrition Per serving: 380 calories, 33 g protein, 41 g carbohydrates, 10 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 65 mg cho- lesterol, 130 mg sodium, 4 g dietary fiber, 0 g sugar Adapted from "Donna Hay Fresh and Light: 180(plus) New Recipe and Flavour-Packed Ideas to Find the Perfect Balance" (HarperCollins, April 9, 2014). COOKBOOKS Preserved lemons wake up kale, chicken recipe DEB LINDSEY — THE WASHINGTON POST Preserved Lemon Chicken With Kale has a balance of lemon with the robust flavor of dark, leafy kale. By Angel Huracha Correspondent Distance and anticipa- tion go hand in hand. Call- ing all road-trippers, food enthusiasts, and adventur- ers of the great North Cal- ifornia territory: I have found a place where great food and low prices lie. So if you're looking for that boost of motivation, look no further. Located at a distance on 424 Colusa Street in Orland is a tiny delight of food richness. La Perla Taqueria, which is rather small, packs a huge bite. Before attempting to embark on this delicious journey, word of mouth was the only thing to go by. Everybody is a critic, so even though the buzz on this place was solid, you often have to take a good look at your critic. Luckily for me it was my esteemed colleague, the Chico Enterprise-Record's own Almendra Carpizo. We're both from south San Diego and when it comes to outstanding Mexican food we both have a keen taste for it. Needless to say my notepad and harsh cri- tique pen were ready for a slashing. The drive from Chico was at least 25 minutes and I hadn't had a bite all day. Hungry and anxious, the car ride seemed like a long drive for Miss Daisy over here. I was already settling in the back seat for a long winter's nap. Next to me was a friend and last semester's Starv- ing Student columnist Tercius Bufete, who also would be trying this place for the first time. Upon arrival I noticed an abandoned and out-of- business soda shop. As a matter of fact, the area it- self was quiet and lone- some. Immediately in my mind I remembered set- tings like these in hor- ror movies. With a de- serted city and knowledge that the chubby guy never makes it past the first 15 minutes of the slasher's formula, I grew worried. Inside, the place is rather plain — merely a few tables and chairs, some ceiling fans and off- white wall decor. Next to the entrance, across from the cashier, were empty racks of what I assume was pan dulce. I've seen places like this. They re- semble shops from my hometown. As I scanned the menu chalkboard and read the choices, I noticed the prices. All items on the menu are less than $7. I felt hopeful. With only two employees, a cashier and the cook in the back, I was still wary. For the price of $6.47, I managed to obtain two al pastor tacos, one shred- ded beef flauta and one adobado sope. The food was served within min- utes and scarfed down within seconds. The tacos that carried tender morsels of meat were small yet memorable. The flauta was browned and oddly had a sweet taste, different but none- theless good. But the adobado sope takes the cake. Enriched with deep flavor, the circle of fresh masa under mar- inated meat, sour cream, lettuce and cotija cheese was outstanding. It's a shame that I was unable to buy another one. Each establishment has its own special charm, so I tend never to judge a book by its cover. The cuisine and service makes this place stand out among the rest. So gas up the car and make your way west. Angel Huracha is a Chico State University student. Each week he's asked to find a meal that costs no more than $8 (one hour at minimum wage) and then write about it. STARVING STUDENT Orland taqueria worth the drive to the west side ANGEL HURACHA — ENTERPRISE-RECORD La Perla is nondescript on the outside, but it's definitely worth stepping inside. Location: 424Colusa St., Orland. Telephone: 530-865- 2054. Hours: 9a.m. to 8p.m. Monday through Friday Total meal cost: $6.47 LAPERLATAQUERIA The Chico Food Project will be picking up its blue bags of donated foods Saturday for the Chico Food Locker, the Salva- tion Army, the Jesus Cen- ter and other organiza- tions. About 900 donors throughout town fill their blue bags with food and put them by their door- steps to be collected on the second Saturday every other month. People can sign up at www.chicofoodproject. org, email to chicofood- project@gmail.com, or by calling 230-7232. CHICO FoodProjectpickup day is Saturday News feed The local Vietnam Vet- erans of America organi- zation will raise funds to help veterans and their families with a Chili Cook- off contest set noon-6 p.m. Saturday at the Bambi Inn, 7436 Humboldt Road in Butte Meadows. Eat all the chili you want for $5 per person. For information, call Tank Konstenius, 899- 2841. BUTTE MEADOWS Chili cook-off Saturday aids vets The fourth annual Wine and Beer Tasting benefiting Pug Sunday is planned 5-9 p.m. June 13. It will take place at the Stansbury Home, West Fifth and Salem streets. Cost is $20 per person for wine, beer, food, a souvenir glass, a silent auction and raffle, or $15 without alco- hol. There will be tours of the home and music by the Jeff Pershing Band. For reservations or de- CHICO Beer and wine tasting is Pug Sunday benefit tails, call 343-4774. Tickets are also available at Chico Animal Hospital, 3015 The Esplanade; and Art Etc., 122 W. Third St. Pug Sunday's mission is to educate the public through meetings held on first Sundays and by fos- tering, caring for and find- ing suitable homes for un- wanted, stray or abandoned pugs. Mor more: www.pugsun- dayinchico.org. The Washington Post These warm blueberry desserts aren't really pies, but don't let convention stand in the way of enjoy- ing them. A simple lemon- accented blueberry filling gets a cookie dough topper. The cookie bakes along with the filling, providing a perfect foil to the tart ber- ries. Makes 4 servings. Taste the blueberries be- fore you begin; if they are quite tart, you might want to use more than cup of sugar for the filling. You'll need four 8-ounce ramekins or mini tart pans. You can slice the dough into strips and make a lat- tice, cut a round like a top crust or — my favorite — use a cookie cutter to cut out a distinctive shape and top the filling with that. Stars are my shape of choice, but flowers work, too. These are best served soon after they are baked. Cookie-Topped Blueberry Mini Pies INGREDIENTS: 1pound fresh or frozen/de- frosted blueberries 1tablespoon cornstarch 1/4 cup sugar, plus more for sprinkling (optional; see headnote) Finely grated zest of 1 lemon plus 3tablespoons fresh lemon juice 6ounces homemade or store-bought sugar cookie dough, suitable for rolling Water (optional) DIRECTIONS: Combine the blueberries, cornstarch, the 1/4 cup of sugar, lemon juice and zest in a mixing bowl, stirring until the cornstarch dis- solves. Let the filling mix- ture rest for 15minutes. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with heavy- duty aluminum foil. Arrange four 8-ounce or similar-size ramekins on the baking sheet. Divide the rested filling mixture plus any accumu- lated juices evenly among the ramekins or mini tart pans. Roll out the cookie dough to a thickness of a gener- ous 1/4 inch; cut it into the desired shapes or strips. Top each pie with a cut-out cookie or with strips of the dough arranged to form a lattice. If desired, brush the tops lightly with water and sprinkle with sugar. Bake for about 50minutes or until the filling is bubbly and the cookie tops are lightly browned. Wait 5 minutes before serving. Per serving: 240 calories, 2 g protein, 46 g carbo- hydrates, 7 g fat, 2 g sat- urated fat, 10 mg choles- terol, 120 mg sodium, 3 g dietary fiber, 28 g sugar. 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