Susanna Griffith, honor graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, and Janice Berman, experienced wine consultant, offer a menu to enhance any memorable occasion with family and friends.
Saigon Summer Fare If the thought of another burger-on-the-grill with buttered corn has you calling your cardiologist, stay right here...and look no farther than the cuisine of Vietnam. We have a vibrant menu to kick-start the thrills of our Dallas' sultry summer.
Considered the "Nouveau Cuisine" of Asia, Vietnamese recipes rely on freshness, lightness, contrasting flavors, and varied textures. The spices are lively, with an abundant use of fresh vegetables and fruits, a focus on fresh seafood, and little use of fat or oil. Vietnam shares part of its food heritage with China and imparts a strong French influence after one hundred years of colonization. The staple food is rice in many forms: long grain, noodles, pancakes, dumplings or spring roll wrappers. French style baguettes are enjoyed, as are many types of sandwiches. Favorite seasonings include nuoc mam (Vietnamese fish sauce), cilantro, lemon grass, shallots (ah, the French influence!), mint, chiles, and shrimp paste. Nuoc Mam and shrimp paste are used more often than soy sauce in Vietnam.
Now for a quick focused lesson on Asian cuisine: The basis for Asian cookery lays in the flavors of the foods and how they balance and harmonize. There are five basic singular tastes in Asian cooking. First, is salty. Salty is considered moderating and independent and thus, can stand-alone. Salt brings out all flavors and can be used as a base to balance other flavors. The second taste is sweet. Sweet harmonizes, combines, smoothes and moderates flavors. It, too, is an independent taste. The third taste is sour. Sour is a dependent taste and cannot stand-alone. It is a stimulant and enhances flavors. The fourth taste is spicy/hot. It can be powerful and stimulating and is better when paired with a second taste sensation. The fifth taste is fresh/bitter, a dependent taste. Fresh (Umami) comes from the natural protein of meats and mushrooms while bitter comes from spices such as citrus zests, star anise and cinnamon. With each recipe, we will break down the flavors.
By understanding the interaction of the five flavors, a cook can create hundreds of dishes and sauces. The art of cooking is considered a 'palate' art because the tongue is used to identify flavors and textures. The cook who works with this theory becomes much like a painter with his three primary colors or a musician with his octave scale.
Selecting wines for this cuisine is a joy! As we move away from the heavier reds of winter, there are hundreds of dry, off-dry white and rose wines that complement this fresh and clean cuisine, and lighter reds with moderate tannins and bright acidity, which marry well with beef and the heat from chiles. Whether you choose an aromatic Gewürztraminer or Viognier; a Loire Valley Chenin Blanc; an elegant Pinot Noir; a crisp Sauvignon Blanc; or a perky dry rosé, you simply can't go wrong.
Rather than serving separate courses, the plates are brought to the table and served "family style", accompanied by steamed rice.
MENU
Summer Rolls
Squid Salad with Tamarind Sauce
Steamed Rice
Eggplant Salad
Grilled Cornish Game Hens with Lemon Grass
WINES
Balandran Rosé 2006, Costieres de Nimes, France
One of the only reasons to justify the sweltering
Dallas heat is in this bottle! Bright, airy and delicious, with a beautiful red cherry color and lovely aromas of just-picked strawberries - this Rosé hits the spot from the first sip on...Chill, but not too cold, or you won't be able to taste how good it is. Goes with everything Asian, as well as the the guy who says, " I don't drink rosé."
Or
Cono Sur Pinot Noir, Chile, 2005 It's not easy to find decent Pinot Noir under $20...and it's impossible
to find it for under $10! But here it is: wonderful cherry flavors with a hint of smoke. Medium-bodied, flavorful
with a welcome finish, this little find will work with game and assertive flavors, like chiles.
Or
Clos de Nouys Vouvray , Demi-Sec, Loire, France, 2005 Excellent, off-dry, mineral-driven Chenin Blanc,
with quince, persimmon and ginger flavors. A hint of flowers, with underlying richness and cut. Good acidity
and a long finish makes this a worthy partner for dishes combining sour, sweet and spice/heat.
Or
Domaine Peyrassol Rosé, Cðtes de Provence, France, 2006 Dry, classic Rosé wine--from the pale,
salmon color to the elegant strawberry fruit. Stylish, with firm minerality to its finish. You'll feel like you're sitting
at a café, watching the sun set! Goes with practically everything... try it with the Spring rolls and Squid
Or
Hall Sauvignon Blanc, Napa Valley, California, 2005 Unoaked, thank you, with zesty citrus and
ruby red grapefruit which leaps from the glass to refresh your tastebuds. In the mouth, passion fruit and
hints of pear and lemongrass round out this first-rate example of Napa Sauvignon. Framed by
lively acidity, it's a natural accompaniment to the dishes at our Vietnamese table.
Duo of Mango and Ginger Sorbet
WINE
Two Hands Moscato "Brilliant Disguise", Barossa Valley, Australia, 2006
Oh, what a divine wine! Pale straw in color with a vibrant spritz, a touch of sweetness, and brim full
of the aromatics we love: tropical fruit, guava, and a touch of perfumey musk. Choose to pair this wine
with the sorbet duo and add a ginger cookie, or drink alone as the dessert. Just try this beauty!
RECIPES
Summer Rolls
Flavors: Sweet, Sour and Spicy
I love these rolls! I first made them in my "Oriental Cuisine" class at the Culinary Institute of America, and have made them and variations there of, ever since. Notice that the wrappers are made of rice and thus do not have to be cooked or fried. They are available in specialty stores or your local Asian food market. If you don't have rice paper wrapper, just use whole iceberg lettuce leaves to wrap the filling and substitute julienned daikon radish (marinated in salt with the carrots) for the lettuce in the recipe.
Serves 8.
Ingredients:
Sauce
The sauce makes about 2 ½ to 3 cups. You won't need that much. Just store the excess covered in the refrigerator, and use on salads and vegetables.
½ cup Nuoc Mam (Vietnamese fish sauce)
1 ½ tablespoons minced garlic
1 ½ tablespoons Vietnamese chile sauce
¾ cup sugar
Juice of 1-½ lemons
1/3 cup rice vinegar
¼ cup water
Combine all sauce ingredients and mix well. Keep cold as you assemble the rolls.
Filling
Julienne is a cut the size of a matchstick (18" x 1/8"x 2 "). If you simply can't abide making such fine cuts, use a grater for the carrots. It won't be as pretty, but please don't avoid this recipe for the sake of your knife skills!
16 shrimp, shell on (30-35 count/pound)
3 ounces vermicelli rice-stick noodles
1 large carrot, peeled, finely julienned
¼ head iceberg lettuce, julienne
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup cilantro leaves (no stems)
1 teaspoon sugar
lemon juice from ½ lemon
- Bring 2 quarts of water to boil in medium saucepan. Add shrimp with shell on and poach at a bare simmer for about 3 minutes or until shrimp are opaque. Using slotted spoon or skimmer, transfer shrimp to a bowl of ice water. Drain shrimp and pat dry. Remove shell and cut each shrimp in half lengthwise, de-veining if necessary.
- Bring the water in the saucepan back to a boil and add the rice noodles. Cook until just tender (al dente), about 3 minutes. Drain in a colander and shock in cold water. Drain.
- Marinate julienne carrots with a ¼ teaspoon of the salt for 10 minutes. Squeeze out any excess juice.
- Mix carrots, rice noodles, and lettuce with the sugar, lemon juice, and rest of salt.
Wrappers
8 rice paper rounds, 6 ½ inch diameter
2 ½ teaspoons sugar
½ cup warm water
Assembly:
- Combine sugar and water, place rice paper (one at a time) in water briefly (couple of seconds) to soften. Blot off water.
- Place a half-cup of the rice noodle filling on each paper near one edge. Fold up bottom 2-inch border of wrapperover filling. Place 4 shrimp halves and 6 cilantro leaves into roll. Fold the left then the right edge of wrapper over filling. Roll filling to top edge of wrapper to form tight cylinder.
- Cut rolls in half and place on large serving platter. Serve with sauce.
Squid Salad with Tamarind Sauce
Flavors: Salty, Sweet, Spicy, Sour, Fresh, And Bitter
This is a great recipe from Epicurious.com. We added lime zest to the recipe since neither one of us can resist the flavor it provides. We love using squid in salads, soups, and sautés. We are so accustomed to eating squid in its calamari role, that we forget how fresh and wonderful a sea creature it is. Tamarind paste can be found in Asian markets and in many of our local grocery stores now. If you can get the fresh, just scoop out the pulp and measure that. Sriracha Sauce is one of our standby hot sauces. Besides specialty shops, it is available in the Asian section at your local grocery store.
Serves 8
Sauce
4 tablespoons tamarind paste
½ cup warm water
Zest of 2 limes
¼ cup limejuice
3 tablespoons Nuoc Mam (Vietnamese fish sauce)
4 garlic cloves, minced
4 teaspoons sugar
- In a bowl, stir together the tamarind paste and warm water to dissolve. Strain, pressing hard on the solids
- Add the remaining sauce ingredients, stirring until the sugar is dissolved.
Salad
2 pounds cleaned squid
2/3 cup fresh Thai Basil (if not available, use regular basil and add a bit more mint to the mix)
2/3-cup fresh mint leaves
2 cups red onion, thinly sliced
Sriracha Sauce to taste
- Slice squid sacs cross wise into ½ inch sections. If the tentacles are large, halve them.
- In a large saucepan of boiling salted water, cook squid for 45 seconds or until just opaque. Drain in a colander and rinse under cold water to stop cooking. Drain well.
- Add squid to sauce and toss well. (Can be prepared up to this point 1 day ahead and chilled covered. Bring salad to room temperature before proceeding with recipe.)
- Add herbs and onion to salad and toss. Drizzle with Siracha Sauce.
Steamed Rice
If at all possible, use the fragrant Jasmine rice.
Serves 8.
2 cups Jasmine rice
2 cups cold water
- Add one inch of cold water to a large stockpot fitted with a trivet or metal rack.
- Rinse the rice three times and drain well. In a 1 quart metal bowl, add rice and the 2 cups of cold water.
- Place bowl on rack, cover and bring water to a boil. Steam rice over moderate heat about 25 minutes. Remove rice bowl, and fluff rice with a fork.
Eggplant Salad
Flavors: Salty, Sweet, Sour, Spicy, Bitter
This is a fantastic vegetable dish from Epicurious.com. We added lime zest to increase the lime flavor without increasing the acidity. Use as much or as little chile as desired.
Serves 8.
1 ½ pounds Asian eggplant
½ cup shallots, thinly sliced and separated into rings
½ cup fresh cilantro leaves
¼ cup fresh mint leaves
Zest of 2 limes
6 tablespoons fresh lime juice
3 tablespoons Nuoc Mam (Vietnamese fish sauce)
¼ teaspoon sugar
1 small fresh Thai (bird) chile or Serrano chile, minced
1 head Bibb lettuce, separated into leaves
Preheat broiler.
- Cut eggplants diagonally into ¼ inch slices, discarding stem ends. Place on oiled baking sheet and broil 4-6 inches from heat until golden, about 8 minutes. Turn slices over and continue broiling until golden. Cool slightly and chop coarsely. In a bowl, combine the eggplant, shallots, cilantro, and mint.
- In a small bowl, stir together limejuice, fish sauce, sugar, and chile. Pour dressing over eggplant. Toss well and let stand for 30 minutes to blend flavors.
- Arrange lettuce leaves on a large platter. Mound eggplant on top. Use lettuce leaves to pick up salad.
Grilled Cornish Game Hens with Lemon Grass
Flavors: Sweet, Salty, Hot, Fresh
Prep these birds early in the day or the evening before so that they soak up the marinade's flavor. I read about skewering the legs of butterflied poultry in Cook's Illustrated. It keeps the skin from splitting and helps in uniform cooking. If you can't grill, roast in the oven (instructions follow).
Serves 8
Special equipment:
4 long skewers, wood, bamboo or metal (8-10 inches)
4 game hens: 1 to ¼ pounds each, butterflied
Marinade:
2 stalks lemon grass, thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
2 shallot, minced
4 Thai or Serrano chilies, seeded and sliced
2 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
3 teaspoons kosher salt
4 teaspoons sugar
6 tablespoons Nuoc Mam (Vietnamese fish sauce)
6 tablespoons soy sauce
Glaze
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1-½ tablespoons Sherry
- Combine lemon grass, garlic, shallots, chilies, black pepper, salt, and sugar. Purée to a paste. Stir in fish sauce and soy sauce.
- Combine the corn syrup and Sherry for the glaze.
- If using bamboo or wooden skewers, soak in water for 30 minutes.
- Rinse hens well and pat dry with paper towels. With poultry shears or a chef's knife, remove backbones and open up birds, cracking the breastbone with a chef's knife or the palm of your hand, so that the birds lay flat. Tuck the wing tips behind the bird to secure them. Fold the drumsticks up close to the thigh. Insert the skewer through the meat of the drumstick, then through the meaty part of the thigh. Continue pressing skewer through the breast meat, the other thigh, and finally through the drumstick. Stretch skintight over the legs and breast.
- Rub marinade into the birds, both inside and a bit under the skin and on skin. Place birds in a non-reactive pan (like Pyrex), cover and refrigerate for at least a couple of hours, if not overnight.
- Prepare grill. When coals have formed a white ash, arrange them on 2 sides of the grill, leaving the center free. Place game hens skin side down in the center of the grill, cover, leaving vents open completely. Continue cooking until the skin has begun to turn a golden brown and the internal thigh temperature reaches 160-165°F, about 20-30 minutes.
- Move hens to the hot sides of the grill. Cover and cook until golden brown, 5 minutes. Brush with the glaze, turn and cook for 2 more minutes. Brush with the remaining glaze. Continue to cook until the internal thigh temperature registers 170-175°.
If you would rather roast the game hens, preheat the oven to 425°F. Place the hens on an oiled wire rack over a roasting pan. Place in oven and roast at 425°F for 15 minutes. Lower temperature to 375°F and continue roasting for about 20-30 minutes or until the internal thigh temperature registers 170-175°. Brush several times with the glaze during the cooking period.
Duo of Mango and Ginger Sorbet
Flavors: Sweet, Fresh
Vodka is optional. Along with sugar, vodka aids in finer crystallization of the sorbet during freezing.
Serves 8.
Special equipment: ice cream freezer
Fresh mint for garnish
For the Mango Sorbet:
3 medium mangoes, peeled, pitted, and diced
½ cup cold water
¾ cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1-tablespoon vodka
- Purée the mangos with ½ cup cold water. In a bowl, mix together the mango puree, sugar, lemon juice, and vodka. Stir until sugar dissolves.
- Cover and refrigerate until the mix reaches 40°F.
- Place in ice cream freezer and churn until frozen, following manufacturer's instructions.
For the Ginger Sorbet:
1 ½ tablespoons fresh ginger, coarsely chopped
1 ¾ cup water
¾ cup sugar
1 teaspoon fresh limejuice
- Purée the ginger with ½ cup of the water in a blender. In a non-reactive saucepan, mix together and ginger puree, the remaining water, and sugar. Heat to a simmer to dissolve the sugar. Strain through a fine mesh sieve. Add limejuice.
- Cover and refrigerate until mixture reaches 40°F.
- Place in ice cream freezer and churn until frozen, following manufacturer's instructions.
Serving:
In each bowl or coupe, place a scoop each of the mango and ginger sorbet. Garnish with the fresh mint.
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