Vietnamese Spring Rolls

With rice paper wrappings, these translucent little gems are light, bright, and tasty. However, they actually aren’t all that easy to make. The wrappers shred pretty easily so they’re a little finicky to put together.

I used the typical ingredients: shrimp, lettuce, vermicelli noodles, cilantro, mint, sliced cucumbers and shredded carrots. For the shrimp, I parboiled them in salted water with a half lemon. That made them far more flavorful than just a straight boil in water alone. After chopping and preparing the rest of the ingredients, I was ready to wrap.

The wrappers are supposed to be dipped in water to make them pliable. Looking back on it, I think the next time I try it I will spray them with water to get them moist rather than dunk them. When wet, they rip making it difficult to roll the ingredients together. 

After steaming the first few of them, I tried the ingredients in egg roll wrappers. I steamed and oil-fried the egg rolls. While clearly the less healthy option, fried was much yummier.

Shrimp is often the main component of spring rolls, but you can use other items like shredded chicken or pork. Or, you can just go vegetarian and not worry about a meat element. Either way, make sure you’ve got some snappy sauces to dip in. I put out a well of soy sauce but accompanied that with a zippy peanut sauce. The two were a nice contrast.

Here’s the recipe for the rolls and the sauce:

For the rolls:

2 oz. rice vermicelli, boiled and drained

8 rice wrappers

8 large cooked shrimp

1 small cucumber, sliced

1/2 c. shredded carrot

Fresh mint leaves

Fresh cilantro

8 butter lettuce leaves

 

Peanut sauce:

1 c. peanut butter

1/2 c. soy

1 TB honey

1 TB rice wine vinegar

1 tsp sesame oil

1 tsp sambal oelek

1/2 c. warm water

 

Boil salted water for the noodles, cook, drain, and set aside. Then boil salted water with a half lemon for the shrimp, cook, drain and let cool. In the meantime, dip the rice wrappers in water or spray with water to moisten. Place a lettuce leaf on top of the wrapper as a catch-all for the other ingredients. Layer the noodles, shrimp, veg, and herbs. Curl the ends of the wrapper around the contents like a burrito, folding opposite sides over before rolling. Place in a lined bamboo steamer and steam for about 6 minutes.

For the sauce, combine all the ingredients except the water in a stainless steel bowl. While whisking, stir the warm water in batches to soften the peanut butter. If you like it crunchy, you can serve it with chopped peanuts.

Dip in and enjoy! 

Not Just One Kind of Pesto…

The classic pesto recipe uses a combination of fresh basil, parmesan, garlic, pine nuts, olive oil and salt and pepper. It can be used with pasta, salads, or even a vegetable dip as a change from other dressings. But those things are not the only ingredients that can be used for pesto. There is a wide range of other mixtures that can kick your classic pesto game up a notch. 

Don’t get me wrong, basil is great. But your greens don’t have to stick with just that. Give kale, parsley, cilantro or mint a try. And don’t forget about other leafy options like arugula, spinach, or even watercress. For cheese, parmesan may be the go-to but switching it up with other ones like manchego, gruyere, or cheddar may be nifty for a change. 

But don’t stop there. When it comes to the nuts, luckily there’s a world of them to choose from. Try walnuts, pistachios, or even almonds. Cashews, pistachios, or even hazelnuts make a good addition. I made a luscious citrus walnut pesto that was great on white flaky fish like cod, haddock, or even tilapia. Using the zest and juice of one lemon and one orange along with a little salt and pepper, walnuts, grated parmesan, and parsley, it made for a thick mixture that, frankly, I’d be happy to eat by just dipping in a crusty baguette.

Sure, garlic can always be added to a pesto. Other ingredients can make it tasty, too. How about red pepper flakes for a really good zing? Thyme, rosemary, oregano are great choices. Even tarragon, although my advice is to be sparing with this one. Too much tarragon can be overpowering. 

And as with other condiments, you can include different fruits and veg. Sun dried tomato, roasted red pepper, or your favorite kind of olive makes it unique. Whatever you choose, concentrate on the pairings in your flavor profile. Pick foods that go well together but aren’t necessarily standard. In the end, there’s always more than one way to make a pesto. 

Use this basic basil recipe as the guide for all the other ingredients. All of this can be whizzed up in a food processor:

4 c. fresh basil (about 3 large bunches)
1/2 c. extra virgin olive oil
1/3 c. pine nuts
1/2 c. parmesan
2 garlic cloves
salt and pepper to taste

Cashew Nam Prik

I saw an interesting recipe in the latest edition of Bon Appetit. Cashew nam prik is a riff on a staple Thai recipe. The first report of it is from a French ambassador to then Siam in the late 17th century. Since then, it has appeared throughout southern Asia with a variety of ingredients—including mushrooms, mackerel, and even what’s known as a “Giant Waterbug.” 

The base is usually pork with eggplant frequently incorporated. But in this case, the meat is replaced by cashews, which lends flavor and texture and makes the dish more vegetarian-friendly. Like many Asian dishes, it uses the umami punch of fish sauce and a kick of heat. Offset that with lettuce cups, raw veg, and some mango chunks and you’ve got yourself a great appetizer or a light summer meal.

Typically meant as a dip or a condiment to accompany a central meal, it is often prepared in a mortar and pestle. In this case, a food processor is suggested, and frankly I’d prefer that than crushing the ingredients in a tiny bowl. Adding to the umami fish sauce, a shrimp paste is often at the central base mixed together with the chilies, shallots, and lime juice. 

This recipe called for a few things I might change. Two examples: tomatoes and lemongrass. I skipped the lemongrass. As far as I'm concerned, it’s like having a face full of soap for dinner. With the tomatoes, I think the paste is essential. But sautéing the tomatoes down with the cashews gave it a chunky consistency I don’t think I would repeat. Instead, I might choose larger tomatoes—halved Roma or even beefsteak—to roast separately rather than the cherry tomatoes in the original recipe. Those could be placed on top of the dip when serving and eaten as an extra embellishment with the lettuce cups. And if you can’t get any Thai chilies, jalapenos or serrano chilies are a perfectly suitable substitute. You can also use a tablespoon of sambal oelek or another chili sauce like Sriracha.

Here’s the recipe:

1 c. raw cashews

3 jalapenos, chopped or 1 TB sambal oelek

2 medium shallots, chopped

5 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped

Finely grated zest from 2 limes (about 3 tsp.)

1 tsp. kosher salt, plus more

3 Tbsp. canola oil

1 Tbsp. tomato paste

8 oz. Roma, halved and roasted

1 Tbsp. fish sauce

1 Tbsp. fresh lime juice

1 Tbsp. coarsely chopped cilantro leaves with tender stems

Bibb or Little Gem lettuce leaves, sliced cucumbers, sliced mango, and soft-boiled eggs (for serving)

Pulse cashews in a food processor until pieces are no larger than ¼". Transfers cashews to a medium bowl (it’s okay if some of the cashews have gone all the way to powder, which will thicken the dip).

Pulse chilies or chili sauce, shallots, garlic, lime zest, and 1 tsp. salt in food processor until very finely chopped. Scrape down sides and continue to pulse until a coarse paste forms. Transfer curry paste to a small bowl.

Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium. Add cashews and cook, stirring often, until golden brown in most spots, 4–6 minutes. Add curry paste and cook, stirring often, until slightly darkened, about 3 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring, until mixture starts to stick to bottom pot, about 2 minutes. Add a splash of water and cook, scraping any browned bits that may have stuck to bottom of pot and mixture is thickened, 7–10 minutes.

Remove from heat and stir in fish sauce and lime juice. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt. Transfer nam prik to a medium bowl. Top with the roasted tomatoes and cilantro. Serve nam prik warm with lettuce, cucumbers, mango, or some soft boiled eggs alongside.

Enjoy! 

Churros

My favorite memory of churros comes from a trip to Madrid a few years ago. Across the street from our rented apartment, there was a mini plaza with a bakery on the corner. They sold these long golden churros with hot chocolate to dip in. For my family, particularly my three daughters, this afternoon snack was the highlight of the day. Who cares about Plaza Mayor, the Prado museum, or even the Mercado de San Miguel when there are churros to be devoured?

Churros have been a hit for centuries in Spanish-speaking countries all over the world. Food historians speculate that an early version was brought to Europe from China. But churros are not alone in the world of fried dough. From beignets to falafel to samosas, there is a broad range of fried dough dishes, both savory and sweet.

Recently, Disney released a copy of their popular churros recipe, so I gave it a try. Rather than the long or spiraled version, these are bite-sized. While it is a fairly straight-forward combination of eggs, flour, water, and butter, the magic comes from its preparation. Bringing the water to a boil with the butter and cinnamon gradually adding the flour creates a warm dough ball. The ball is then meant to rest for a few minutes to cool so the eggs can then be added. That’s fine, but I found that part unnecessarily difficult. The next time I make them, I may actually add beaten eggs in a slow stream to the slightly cooled liquid before adding the flour. That way, you have a fully formed dough ball with all the essential ingredients instead of trying to add the eggs to an already-formed ball.

Coat the churros in cinnamon sugar or leave them plain and dip them in melted chocolate, Nutella, or even dulce de leche. For the recipe, just click on the link above or use the instructions below. Have fun!

1 c. water

8 TB butter (1 stick)

1/4 tsp. salt

3/4 tsp. cinnamon, divided into 1/4 and 1/2

1 1/4c. flour

3 eggs

1 1/2 c. canola oil

1/2 c. sugar

Combine water, butter, salt, and ¼ teaspoon cinnamon in 1 ½-quart saucepan over medium heat. Bring pot to rolling boil. Reduce heat to low.

Add flour and stir vigorously until mix forms a ball. Remove from heat and let rest for 5-7 min. Add eggs, one at a time, and stir until combined. Set aside.

Heat oil in medium skillet or 1-quart saucepan over medium-high heat or until temperature reaches 350˚.

Spoon dough into piping bag fitted with large star tip. Pipe 1-inch strip of dough over saucepan, cut with knife, and drop into hot oil. Repeat until churro bites fill saucepan with room to fry. 

Fry churro bites until golden brown. Remove with slotted spoon or mesh spider strainer. Drain churro bites on paper towel.

Mix sugar and ½ teaspoon cinnamon in medium bowl. Toss in churro bites until coated. Place on serving plate and serve with favorite dipping sauce.

Gnocchi

Pasta and potatoes. What’s not to love? The tiny little dumplings called gnocchi are made simply from potatoes, flour, and egg with a pinch of salt. Simple ingredients make a pretty fantastic dish.

These little nuggets can be dense if too much flour is added and light and pillowy if done right. But either way, no one can deny they are the quintessential comfort food. Best on cold, dreary evenings, they can be paired with a meat sauce, a simple tomato sauce, or even just a little butter, sage, and grated parmesan cheese. 

The dish originated in Italy in the northern region because that area could grow potatoes better than grain. Gnocchi dates back to probably the late 17th to early 18th  century, well beyond the time when potatoes were introduced from the Americas. There are earlier versions of the pasta called gnocchi that substitute the potatoes with breadcrumbs or even squash. There are similar dumpling dishes throughout Europe, but it is most often associated with Italy.

Making the dough is not much different than making regular pasta. You simply add the mashed potatoes. Gnocchi is an easy go-to recipe when you’ve got leftovers. I just happened to make shepherd’s pie earlier this week, so I had mashed potatoes on hand. Otherwise, make the extra cooking step of boiling the potatoes and sieving them through a ricer. While the mashed potato version is perfectly fine, I think ricing the potatoes make a lighter, fluffier gnocco (the singular of gnocchi).

Here’s the recipe:

2 c. mashed potatoes 

2 c. all-purpose flour 

2 eggs, lightly beaten

Pinch of salt

In a mixing bowl, combine the potatoes, flour, and eggs. This can also be done in a food processor, if you prefer. Use the flour, all-purpose or a split of all-purpose and semolina, a little bit at a time as you are mixing. You may not need all of it. (Extra flour can be used for dusting.) Once the dough has been combined, cut into four parts using a pastry cutter. (The cutter will help you scrape up little bits of dough, too.) In the meantime, boil four quarts of salted water.

On a floured surface, roll out the dough until it is a long rope about an inch thick. Using the cutter, chop dough into one-inch segments. Using a fork, scrape the tines across each segment to make a ridge on each piece. (The ridges help trap the sauce.) Place on floured parchment paper.

When the water is boiling, toss in your gnocchi. When they are done, they will rise to the surface. Drain and serve immediately with your favorite sauce.

Buon appetito!

Chicken Liver Pate

My memories of beef liver came from my dad. He loved it—couldn’t get enough of it. To me, it was the worst smelling thing on the planet. Then, he put it with onions as if that somehow toned down the smell. The house would reek for days. For most people, the moment you mention the word “liver” they’ve already tuned you out.

But we’re not talking about beef liver here. We’re talking about chicken liver. And, once it’s whizzed up into a paste and spread on toasty baguette slices, you’ve probably forgotten the word liver completely.

The best part is it’s super easy to make. Aside from the liver, it’s shallots, thyme, butter, cream, Cognac, and salt and pepper. It’s not this fussy recipe that needs special equipment and braising for three hours. It usually takes about a half hour to make. Chicken livers are easily found in your local grocery store. You can get duck or goose liver, but you’ll probably have to seek out a good butcher for that. 

Pate is that light brown spread that goes with teeny tiny pickles like cornichons, maybe some pickled onions, and crusty bread. Often put with charcuterie boards littered with salami, nuts, and olives, it’s a great accompaniment but can also be the sole feature of your appetizer if you like. 

Here’s the recipe:

1/2 stick of butter, about 4 TB

1 large shallot, minced

3 sprigs of fresh thyme, stripped of leaves

1 lb. chicken livers

1 TB cognac

3 TB heavy cream.

Salt and pepper to taste

In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Sautee the shallots until translucent. Add the thyme leaves and the salt and pepper and cook for another minute or two. Add the chicken livers and sauté until they are cooked all the way through. Then, add the cognac at the end, simmering for a few minutes, and then turn off the heat. Pour the contents of the pan into a food processor. Mix the contents while slowly adding the cream until you’ve reached a nice smooth consistency. Place in a glass jar or whatever vessel you wish to serve it in and chill for one hour. Serve with toasted baguette slices.