by Kathy Douglas | Apr 2, 2018 | Appetizers, Entrees
Summer rolls, also known as fresh spring rolls, are a refreshing light dish to make with rice paper wrappers rolled around fresh crunchy vegetables, chilled shrimp, fresh herbs, and rice noodles. Dip your summer rolls in an easy blender-made spicy peanut sauce to compliment the crunchy vegetables. Not dense like a fried Asian roll, these refreshingly delicious bites will have you thinking of the coming summer days.
Vietnamese summer roll is not at all difficult to make. If you’re careful not to overstuff, the rice paper rounds are very forgiving. The process might look intimidating but is quite simple. In fact, the more you make, the easier it gets. Be sure to use soft lettuce leaves, like Bibb or Boston, rather than crispy like an iceberg, so they wrap nicely around your vegetables.
INGREDIENTS
Summer Rolls
4 ounces rice vermicelli noodles
8 jumbo shrimp, peeled, deveined, and butterflied open
8 rice paper rounds, 8-9” in diameter
¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves only
½ cup enoki mushrooms, available at Whole Foods and Asian Grocery Stores
24 matchstick cut pieces cucumber, cut as long as the shrimp
24 matchstick cut pieces carrot, cut, as long as the shrimp
8 green soft lettuce leaves
Peanut sauce
1″ piece ginger, peeled, chopped
1 small garlic clove, chopped
½ cup creamy peanut butter
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon light brown sugar, packed
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
¼ teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons chopped, salted peanuts
INSTRUCTIONS
Summer Rolls
Preheat the oven to 325˚ degrees. Skewer the shrimp to hold them flat and open. Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Bake for 5-6 minutes until done. Cool and remove the skewers.
Bring a pot of water to 180˚F. Put noodles in a large bowl. Pour enough water over to cover; let stand until softened about 5 minutes. Drain and immediately transfer to a large bowl of ice water to cool; drain and set aside.
Fill a flat shallow dish, like a pie pan, with warm water. Working with 1 rice paper round at a time, soak rice paper in water, occasionally turning, until just pliable but not limp, about 30 seconds. Transfer to a work surface – preferably marble or a similar slick non-porous surface. Arrange a shrimp in the center of the rice paper round. Top with some cilantro, 3 matchstick-cut cucumbers, and 3 matchstick-cut carrots. Arrange a small handful of noodles and enoki mushrooms over the vegetables; place 1 lettuce leaf over the top of all the vegetables. Fold the bottom up and over filling, then fold in ends and roll like a burrito into a tight cylinder. Transfer roll, seam side down, to a platter. Repeat to make 7 more rolls. Cover with a damp kitchen towel and refrigerate.
Peanut Sauce
In a blender combine the ginger, garlic clove, peanut butter, soy sauce, lime juice, brown sugar, toasted sesame oil, red pepper flakes, and blend, adding tablespoons of water, if needed, to thin until smooth. Pour into a serving bowl and top with chopped peanuts.
To serve
Cut rolls in half on diagonal and serve with the peanut sauce. Makes 4 servings, 2 rolls each.
by Kathy Douglas | Mar 26, 2018 | Entrees
When spring finally arrives, we tend to look for light and flavorful ideas for poultry. Marinated overnight in a spicy rub, this recipe for Asian-style lemongrass chicken thighs can be cooked on a bbq grill, in a grill pan, or in a sauté pan. The addition of our easy Ginger Cilantro Sauce adds some spicy heat and pairs perfectly with our side dishes of grilled baby bok choy and crunchy lemongrass glazed baby potatoes.
Asian-Spiced Chicken Thighs
INGREDIENTS
4 lemongrass stalks, tough outer layers removed, chopped
1 medium shallot, chopped
1 teaspoon garlic, chopped
3 tablespoons chopped fresh ginger
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons fish sauce
2 teaspoons light brown sugar
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
6 skinless, boneless chicken thighs
Kosher salt
Ground pepper
2 tablespoons grapeseed or canola oil
Ginger Cilantro Sauce (see recipe)
DIRECTIONS
To make the marinade: process lemongrass, shallot, garlic, ginger, lemon juice, fish sauce, brown sugar, and red pepper flakes in a food processor to a fine paste. Season chicken with salt and pepper and place in a plastic re-sealable bag. Add lemongrass mixture and rub on the chicken. Chill at least 30 minutes to overnight.
Heat a grill pan or 12” sauté pan over medium-high heat. Remove chicken from marinade and remove any excess rub. Brush with the oil and sprinkle with kosher salt and cook until the chicken is browned and the internal temperature reaches 165˚F, about 5-7 minutes. Remove from the heat, cover with foil, and rest 5 minutes. Serve over the Ginger-Cilantro Sauce with the Lemongrass Glazed Potatoes and Bok Choy in bowls. Serves 6.
Ginger Cilantro Sauce
INGREDIENTS
3 tablespoons olive oil
½ cup chopped shallots
8” piece chopped lemongrass, tough outer leaves removed, center only
2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic cloves
1 cup white wine
2 tablespoons chopped ginger
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Juice one lemon
1/4 cup cilantro leaves
In a saucepan heat the olive oil over medium-high heat until hot, add the shallots and lemongrass and often stirring, cook until softened about 2-3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute then immediately add the wine, chopped ginger, and salt. Bring to a boil and reduce the wine by half for about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, add the contents to a high-speed blender with the lemon juice and cilantro leaves. Blend until smooth, adding any additional salt to taste. Add the warm sauce to bowls and top with the chicken, potatoes, and baby Bok Choy.
Lemongrass Glazed Potatoes
INGREDIENTS
½ cup sugar
3 stalks of lemongrass, chopped
1 pound small baby potatoes
Kosher salt
2 tablespoons butter
DIRECTIONS
Lemongrass simple syrup
In a saucepan over medium heat add the sugar with ½ cup water. Bring to a simmer and stir until the sugar melts into the water. Remove from the heat and add the lemongrass stalks; set aside to cool about 30 minutes. When cooled, strain the syrup through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean container to remove the lemongrass stalks. Set aside.
Glazed potatoes
Scrub the potatoes clean, put them in a pot, and cover with 2-inches of water. Add 2 tablespoons of salt and bring the water to a boil. Turn down the heat to a gentle simmer and boil until the potatoes are easily pierced with a small thin knife. When cooked, strain and allow the moisture to evaporate off the surface of the potatoes.
Heat a sauté pan over medium-high heat until hot; add the butter and melt. Add ¼ cup of the lemongrass syrup and cook until reduced about 5 minutes. Add the potatoes and cook, gently turning occasionally until all the liquid is gone and potatoes are turning golden.
Grilled Baby Bok Choy
INGREDIENTS
3 baby bok choy
Olive oil
Kosher Salt
Black Pepper
DIRECTIONS
Heat a grill pan or sauté pan over medium-high heat. Cut the Bok Choy in half and brush the cut side with olive oil. Place cut side down in the pan and cook until browned and seared. Brush the back-side with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, then turn over and grill the back side until the Bok Choy has wilted but is still crispy.
by Kathy Douglas | Mar 19, 2018 | Bread, Breakfast
There must be a million banana bread recipes. Almost everyone has a most-loved version, whether it’s passed down in the family or a preferred interpretation. But we think our southern-style recipe might be your new favorite. Our quick bread not only features a delicious banana flavor with a soft cake-like interior, but a streusel topping loaded with toasted coconut and pecans. Then to push it over the top, we added a yummy brown butter icing.
INGREDIENTS
Banana Bread Base
½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for pan, plus ¼ cup melted unsalted butter, divided
1 ⅔ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pan
4 medium very ripe peeled bananas
¼ cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
1 cup dark brown sugar, packed
2 large eggs, at room temperature
½ cup chopped toasted pecans
Coconut & Pecan Streusel Topping
¼ cup melted butter
¼ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup sweetened, toasted, flaked coconut
1 cup toasted whole pecans,
Brown Butter Icing
¼ cup butter
½ cup powdered sugar
2-3 tablespoons whole milk
INSTRUCTIONS
Banana Bread Base
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a 9×5″ loaf pan then line it with a piece of parchment paper that overlaps on the long sides of the pan. Butter the parchment paper then dust with flour. Remove any excess flour by tapping the pan upside down over the sink.
In a medium bowl, mash the bananas until smooth then combine with sour cream and vanilla extract. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
In the work bowl of an electric stand mixer or hand mixer, beat ½ cup butter and brown sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 ½ minutes. Add the eggs one at a time and beat on medium speed after each egg until thoroughly combined. Add banana mixture and beat until just combined about 30 seconds. Add dry ingredients in 2 batches, beating on low after each addition and scraping down sides of bowl until fully incorporated. Using a spatula, fold in the pecans. Add the batter to prepared pan and smooth top with a spatula.
Coconut & Pecan Streusel Topping
Stir together melted butter, granulated sugar, firmly packed brown sugar, flour and vanilla extract, when combined add in the toasted coconut and whole toasted pecans. Crumble over the top of the banana bread, pressing in very lightly.
Bake, rotating halfway through until batter is set and a tester inserted into the center of bread comes out clean, about 60 minutes. Cool in pan on a wire rack at least 15 minutes, run a knife around the bread to loosen it, then using the parchment paper overlaps gently pull the bread out of the pan. Transfer to a cutting board and gently remove the bottom parchment. Cool completely.
Brown Butter GlazeTo make the glaze, add the butter to a saucepan and frequently stir over medium heat until it starts to foam. When the foaming ends, stop stirring, and let it continue to cook until amber brown. Remove from heat, and stir in powdered sugar and then the milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, to make the glaze your desired consistency. Drizzle over cooled banana bread and slice with a serrated knife to serve. Make 12-14 servings.
by Kathy Douglas | Mar 12, 2018 | Entrees
If you are searching for Irish soul food to make for St. Patrick’s Day, look no further than this meaty, savory comfort-food classic. The rich, creamy vegetable combination is studded with luxurious ground meat, topped with smooth and creamy Yukon gold potatoes with melted Irish butter. Perfect served with a big green crunchy salad on the side.
Ground lamb is the preferred meat, but you can substitute with ground beef. If you choose to use beef, be sure also to substitute beef stock for the chicken stock.
Shepherds Pie
INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons grapeseed or canola oil
½ cup finely diced onion
¼ cup shredded carrot
Kosher salt
Fresh ground pepper
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 pound ground lamb or lean ground beef
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup chicken stock, or if using ground beef substitute with beef stock
1 tablespoon fresh mint, sliced thin
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
½ cup fresh spring peas or frozen, thawed
Mashed Potato Topping (see recipe following)
Butter to grease the baking dish
¼ cup melted Irish butter
INSTRUCTIONS
Heat one tablespoon of the oil in a 12” sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, and ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Cook, occasionally stirring, for 6 to 8 minutes, or until the vegetables begin to soften. Stir in the tomato paste, cooking until combined, about 1 minute. Transfer the vegetables to a bowl and set aside.
Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in the same sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the meat and cook, stirring often, until browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Sprinkle in the flour, reduce the heat to medium, and cook for 30 seconds; stir constantly. Slowly add the stock, stirring to deglaze the pan. Return the vegetables to the sauté pan, add the mint, thyme, and peas Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the meat is tender about 20 minutes. Uncover the skillet and cook until thickened, about 5 minutes more. Taste and add any salt or pepper as needed.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Butter an 8” x 8” square baking dish then add the meat mixture. Completely cover with the mashed potatoes. Pour the Irish Butter over the top the potatoes and lightly sprinkle with salt. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the potatoes just start to brown. Makes six servings.
Mashed Potato Topping
INGREDIENTS
2 large Yukon gold potatoes (about 2 pounds)
½ cup cream
¼ cup Irish butter
Kosher salt
Fresh ground pepper
INSTRUCTIONS
Peel the potatoes and cut into 2-inch cubes and place in a large pot. Add enough water to cover the potatoes. Cover the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and cook the potatoes until a small knife can easily pass through the largest potatoes, about 25-30 minutes. While the potatoes are cooking, in a small saucepan heat the cream and butter over low heat. When the potatoes are done, strain off all the water and return to the pan. Mash them while still hot and then add half the cream mixture. Continue to mash then add the remaining cream and mash until smooth but with a few small potato pieces here and there. Season the mashed potatoes with salt and pepper to taste.
by Kathy Douglas | Mar 5, 2018 | Breakfast
We can’t think of a better way to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day than with these light and airy Irish scones. Our tender, flaky scone recipe is all about the Irish sweet butter, dried currants, tangy buttermilk, and a finish of sugared orange zest. For the best flavor, serve scones right out of the oven. So on the Saturday morning of March 17 after your scones have risen and turned to a delicious shade of golden brown, let them cool for 10 minutes on a wire rack before serving with butter or clotted cream and orange marmalade.
Clotted Cream is an amazingly delicious, very thick cream made with cow’s milk and available for purchase at Whole Foods or specialty grocery stores. Kerrygold is an Irish butter available at most grocery stores.
INGREDIENTS
3 cups plus 2 tablespoons white flour, preferably White Lily
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ cup sugar
½ cup cold Irish butter, preferably Kerrygold, cut into small pieces
½ cup Currants
1 cup cold buttermilk
1 tablespoon orange zest
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon cream
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Sift the flour, baking soda, salt, and sugar into a large, wide mixing bowl. Using a pastry cutter or two knives, cut the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse meal with pea-size pieces of butter mixed in.
Stir in the currents then add the buttermilk. Mix the dough by hand until just combined, being careful not to overwork the dough. Turn out dough onto a well-floured surface, dust your hands with flour and gently knead until the dough just forms a rough ball. Be careful to not over-knead. Cut the dough into twelve even pieces and gently form each into a round shape. Place on the parchment lined sheet tray arranging the dough balls no less than one inch apart.
Combine the orange zest and the sugar. Lightly brush the tops with cream and sprinkle with the orange sugar mixture pressing it gently into the cream. Bake for 25 minutes, rotating the pan once. Remove from the oven and cool about 10 minutes. Serve warm with Orange Marmalade and Clotted Cream. Make 12 scones.
Recent Comments