One Pan, Two Plates (7 page)

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Authors: Carla Snyder

BOOK: One Pan, Two Plates

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extra hungry?
Just double the amount of shrimp in the dish to bulk it up with extra protein.

in the glass:
A not-too-sweet Riesling is terrific with pad thai. Look for a bottle of Saint M Riesling from Germany.

Summer Rolls

with
SHRIMP, CUCUMBER,
and
MANGO

A summer roll is a fresher, leaner Thai version of a Chinese egg roll. It’s essentially a salad in a rice-paper wrapper and makes a light summer meal with endless scrumptious possibilities. You can add countless vegetables and proteins, such as snow peas, red bell pepper, cabbage, chicken, and crab. You get the idea. The dipping sauce is a bright blend of lime, chile, and sugar, with just enough fish sauce to make it savory. This dish can be a popular part of a multicourse meal when entertaining—it can be fun to let your guests assemble their own summer rolls at the table. Just double or triple the ingredients to multiply your rolls as needed.

........

START TO FINISH
45 minutes

...

HANDS-ON TIME
45 minutes

...

serves 2

........

2 oz/55 g rice-stick noodles

2 green onions, white and tender green parts, thinly sliced

1 serrano chile, minced (remove the seeds if you prefer a milder dish)

1 small garlic clove, minced

⅓ cup/75 ml fresh lime juice, plus 3 tbsp (about 4 limes)

1½ tbsp sugar, plus 4 tsp

2 tbsp fish sauce, plus 4 tsp

12 to 16 medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

½ mango, peeled and cut into 4-in/10-cm sticks (see “It’s that easy,”
page 89
)

½ medium seedless cucumber, peeled and cut into 4-in/10-cm sticks

1 carrot, peeled and grated

½ cup/15 g fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems

½ cup/10 g fresh mint leaves

Six to eight 8-in/20-cm rice-paper rounds

1.
In a heatproof bowl, soak the noodles in boiling water to cover until they are softened, about 15 minutes.

2.
Meanwhile, combine half of the green onions, the chile, garlic, ⅓ cup/75 ml lime juice, 1½ tbsp sugar, and 1 tbsp of the fish sauce in a medium bowl and stir to mix well. Let the sauce sit to allow the flavors to develop.

3.
Drain the noodles. Combine 1½ tbsp of the lime juice, 2 tsp of the sugar, and 2 tsp of the fish sauce in
a medium bowl and stir to dissolve the sugar. Add the drained noodles and toss to coat them with the dressing. Set aside.

4.
In a small bowl, combine the remaining 1½ tbsp lime juice, 2 tsp sugar, and 2 tsp fish sauce to make a poaching liquid for the shrimp. Heat a 12-in/30.5-cm skillet over medium-high heat and add the shrimp and poaching liquid. The liquid should get bubbly quickly. Toss the shrimp around in the liquid for 1 minute, then remove the pan from the heat, cover it tightly, and let the shrimp sit in the hot pan for 1 minute longer to finish cooking. Scoop the shrimp from the pan with a large slotted spoon and transfer them to a plate to cool.

5.
Now you’re ready to assemble the summer rolls. Arrange the noodles, shrimp, mango, cucumber, carrot, herbs, the remaining green onions, and rice-paper rounds around you on your work surface. Fill a shallow baking dish with warm water (a plate larger than the wrappers or a round platter can work, too). Soak a rice-paper round in the warm water until it begins to soften and becomes pliable, 10 to 20 seconds. Don’t let it get too soft or it will be hard to handle—and remember, it will continue to soften while you fill it. Transfer the still slightly firm sheet to the work surface and lay it flat.

6.
Arrange a few each of the mango and cucumber sticks, 1 tbsp or so of the carrot, a pinch of the cilantro, a few mint leaves, and green onion to taste across the bottom third of the soaked rice paper (cover an area about 5 in/12 cm wide). Lay 2 shrimp and about 3 tbsp of the noodles across the top. Fold the bottom edge of the rice paper up and over the filling and then roll it up tightly to the halfway mark. Fold in the sides and continue to roll snugly to the end. Lay the summer roll on a plate, seam-side down. Repeat to assemble the remaining summer rolls in the same way. Since they’ll stick together, arrange them on the plate so that they aren’t touching.

7.
Cut the rolls in half and serve with the dipping sauce.

it’s that easy:
Rolling up these little cylinders is a cinch. I think the most important factor in rolling success is to pull the rice-paper rounds from the water a little before they are completely pliable. They really do continue to soften as you fill them up. If you have one of the Epicurean brand cutting boards that are made of a composite material, go ahead and use that as the assembling surface. Its surface has just the right amount of stick and release.

extra hungry?
Thinly slice the remaining cucumber and mango halves, arrange them on plates, and drizzle them with some of the dipping sauce (don’t worry, you’ll still have plenty for dipping). Sprinkle any extra herbs or a little torn basil over the top.

in the glass:
Although Asian food can be a difficult match with wines, Fetzer Vineyards Valley Oak Riesling is a steal for its low price and goes nicely with the light but piquant summer rolls.

Barley and Lentil Salad

with
DRIED CRANBERRIES
and
WALNUTS

Chewy barley and lentils are full of protein, fiber, and antioxidants, among other good things. They fill you up and keep you full for hours, meatlessly. The addition of sweet dried fruit, a zingy lemon vinaigrette, and fresh green parsley makes this salad a year-round favorite. Who knew cooking grains could be so fast and easy?

........

START TO FINISH
30 minutes

...

HANDS-ON TIME
5 minutes

...

serves 2

........

½ cup/100 g pearled barley (see “It’s that easy”)

½ cup/100 g dried lentils

Salt

¼ cup/40 g dried cranberries or raisins

¼ cup/55 g toasted walnuts

2 tbsp fresh lemon juice, plus more if necessary

2 tbsp olive oil

¼ cup/5 g chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Freshly ground black pepper

1.
Add 2 cups/240 ml water, the barley, lentils, and ¼ tsp salt to a 12-in/30.5-cm skillet and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for 20 to 25 minutes or until tender, but still chewy.

2.
While the grains cook, combine the cranberries, walnuts, lemon juice, olive oil, parsley, and ½ tsp salt in a medium bowl. Season with pepper.

3.
When finished cooking, drain the barley-lentil mixture and add the hot grains to the cranberry mixture in the bowl. Toss to mix. Taste for seasoning and add more lemon, salt, or pepper if it needs it. Serve warm or at room temperature.

variation:
You can add just about any kind of dried fruit (dried cherries, currants, figs, apricots) or nut (slivered almonds, cashews, pecans, hazelnuts) to this salad. If you have the time, try cooking up some wheat berries and add them in. Wheat berries are the entire wheat kernel (minus the hull) comprising the most nutritious sections of the bran, germ, and endosperm. They take about 45 minutes to cook, but are a delicious, healthful, and chewy addition.

it’s that easy:
Hulled barley is the whole-grain form of barley, with only the outermost hull removed. It’s barley in its healthiest form, but it takes about an hour or more to cook. Pearled barley, which I use here, is still chewy and full of nutrition, but with the outer husk and bran layers removed so it cooks up much more quickly.

extra hungry?
Anything from a rotisserie chicken to a baguette accompanied by a dish of olive oil would round out this salad beautifully.

in the glass:
Let’s keep it simple. If you’re dining in the summer (especially outside), go for a well-chilled vinho verde like Arca Nova. If the weather is cooler, your favorite Chardonnay will be delicious.

Barley Risotto

with
SWEET POTATO
and
ANDOUILLE SAUSAGE

I love the texture of the barley in this risotto. It has a pleasant, bouncy bite that’s a nice alternative to the more familiar soft and creamy Arborio-rice versions. With bright orange nuggets of sweet potato and smoky andouille sausage, this untraditional version sets you free from stirring. In order for classic risotto to be creamy, it must be stirred periodically so that the rice gives off its starch. But since barley isn’t as starchy as Arborio and similar risotto rices, there’s no need to stir compulsively . . . we’ll just add some butter, cream, and cheese at the end to luxe it up—problem solved.