Fish and Shellfish – Page 8

Appetizers, Condiment, Fish and Shellfish, gluten-free, Main Course, Vegetables and Salads

Seared Sea Scallops with Gingered Pea Purée and Lemon Cilantro Gremolata

April 22, 2010August 5, 2014by Lynda Balslev5 Comments

Sometimes, it’s all in the accessories. I first made this recipe a year ago when I was experimenting with cilantro in a gremolata and decided to combine it with seared scallops. The scallops were served with a simple spring pea purée and garnished with the gremolata. The dish was beautiful to look at, and the peas exuded a soft sweetness that married well with the briny scallop. Since then, it has been a favorite go-to recipe for special occasions – the figurative little black dress in my cooking repertoire.

But, like any wardrobe, recipes can stand a tweak from time to time. Maybe it was my mood or maybe it was the dreary weather, but when I made this recipe the other day, I craved a little extra zing. So, I made a few additions to the pea purée: fresh ginger and a pinch of cayenne. The result was delightful. The extra touches bolstered the flavor of the purée, distinguishing it from the sweet scallops while complementing the assertive lemon cilantro gremolata. Like a special scarf to the figurative little black dress, these culinary accessories were the flourishes I needed to make this recipe sparkle.

Seared Sea Scallops with Gingered Pea Purée and Lemon Cilantro Gremolata
Serves 4 as a main course, 8 as an appetizer

For the Cilantro Gremolata:
1 cup cilantro leaves, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons finely grated lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For the Pea Purée:
2 cups shelled English peas
salt
1 large garlic clove
1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
freshly ground black pepper
pinch cayenne

16 large sea scallops, about 1 1/2 pounds
extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling

Prepare the Gremolata:
Combine the cilantro, garlic, lemon zest, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Mix together and set aside.

Prepare the Pea Purée:
Bring 4 cups water to a boil in a large saucepan. Add 2 teaspoons salt and the peas. Cook until peas are tender. Remove from heat and drain peas, reserving 1 cup cooking liquid.
Combine peas, garlic, ginger, olive oil, lemon juice, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper and cayenne in bowl of food processor. Purée until smooth. Add some of the reserved water (approximately 1/4 cup) to thin to desired consistency; the purée should not be too thin. Discard remaining water. Transfer purée to a bowl and keep warm.

Prepare scallops:
Pat scallops dry and sprinkle all over with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Add half of the scallops, taking care not to overcrowd the pan. Cook, turning once, until brown on both sides and just cooked through, about 4 minutes. Transfer to plate and keep warm. Repeat with remaining scallops.

To assemble, spoon pea purée on serving plates. Top with scallops. Sprinkle scallops and purée with gremolata. Drizzle lightly with extra-virgin olive oil. Serve immediately.

Fish and Shellfish, Soups and Stews

Oyster Stew with Chorizo and Spinach

February 19, 2010February 14, 2020by Lynda Balslev6 Comments

I love a good fish soup, and one of my favorites is chowder. Depending on what looks best in the market, I usually choose a firm-fleshed fish such as halibut or salmon and call it fish chowder, or add clams and call it (surprise) clam chowder. Either way, I add a smoky component, such as bacon or smoked salmon. The smokiness is crucial to the flavor of the soup. This recipe stays in the shellfish lane and incorporates fresh oysters. The same principle applies in terms of smoky flavor, and chorizo adds the necessary kick to the milky broth. Handfuls of fresh spinach help to lift the soup, adding a dose of veggies to justify the luxurious cream.

Oyster Stew with Chorizo and Spinach

Serves 4

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
6 oz. (180 g.) chorizo sausage, cut in 1/4-inch slices
1 medium onion, chopped
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup shucked oysters (about 12), liquor drained and reserved
3 cups baby spinach leaves
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the chorizo and cook until golden brown, about 5 minutes, turning as needed. Transfer the chorizo to a plate lined with a paper towel.
2. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat from the saucepan. Add the onion and sauté over medium heat until translucent, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the milk, cream, and reserved oyster liquor. Bring to a boil and stir in the oysters. Simmer for about 2 minutes, and then add the spinach and cook until wilted, about 2 more minutes. Season with the salt and pepper to taste.
3. Ladle into bowls and serve immediately.

Fish and Shellfish, Soups and Stews

Spicy Halibut Stew with Chorizo and Kale

January 26, 2010August 1, 2014by Lynda Balslev7 Comments

I was tempted to make a fish chowder last night. Nothing beats a rich and creamy chowder on a rainy day. However, when I opened my refrigerator a bag of kale fell out. It’s curly leaves were bursting out of the plastic demanding attention. Obligingly, I started to think of other possibilities. A container of chicken stock was sitting squarely on the middle shelf, patiently waiting to be put to use, and I decided to change course. Instead of chowder, I would make a lighter stew with the fresh halibut I had purchased in the morning. I wanted a smoky component to lend depth to the flavor of the soup, so I fished a chorizo sausage from the meat drawer. I would also add chunks of potato that would complement the sturdy greens. The result? Satisfying, rustic dinner in a bowl:

Spicy Halibut Stew with Chorizo and Kale

Serves 4

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 fennel bulb, ends and fronds trimmed, chopped
8 oz. spicy chorizo, cut in 1/2″ slices
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon salt
1 bay leaf
2 large Yukon gold potatoes, cut in 1/2″ cubes
6 cups chicken broth
1/2 lb. kale, ends trimmed, washed, coarsely chopped
1 lb. halibut filet or other firm fleshed white fish, cut in 1″ pieces
Flat leaf parsley for garnish
Freshly ground black pepper

Heat olive oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring, one minute. Add fennel and chorizo and continue cooking, stirring, until onion is translucent and fennel begins to soften. Add potatoes, thyme, oregano, salt and bay leaf and toss to coat in the oil. Add stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, until the potatoes are nearly tender. Stir in kale and cook until leaves brighten and stalks soften, about 3 minutes. Add halibut and carefully submerge in stock. Gently cook over medium heat until fish is just cooked through. Add extra salt if necessary. Remove from heat. Serve in warm soup bowls garnished with parsley sprigs and freshly ground black pepper.

Appetizers, Fish and Shellfish, Vegetables and Salads

Fiesta Shrimp Salsa

January 2, 2010July 31, 2014by Lynda Balslev

Post holidays, I crave bright and spicy food with an exotic flare. Asian or Mexican inspired dishes flavored and spiced which cilantro and chile or ginger and citrus are a great way to jazz up the palate, waking it from its winter slumber. Here is a recipe that is quick, easy and a crowd pleaser. Sautéed shrimp marinate in a homemade citrus-y salsa and are served with tortilla chips. It’s a confetti of color and an explosion of tastes and textures. Light and festive with a bite, this salsa is a guaranteed pick-me-up and a perfect way to ring in the New Year.

Fiesta Shrimp Salsa

Serve in a bowl with chips on the side as an appetizer, or arrange on a bed of greens and serve as a salad.

Serves 6-8

1 lb. (500 grams) medium shrimp, deveined
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tomatoes, seeded, diced
1 serrano chile, stemmed, seeded, minced
1 jalapeno pepper, stemmed, seeded, minced
1 medium red onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
Juice of one lime
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon cayenne, or to taste
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
1/4 cup chopped fresh coriander/cilantro leaves
Fresh coriander/cilantro leaves for garnish
Tortilla chips

Prepare:
Remove shells from shrimp, leaving tails intact on 6 shrimp for garnish. Heat one tablespoon olive oil in skillet over medium heat. Sauté shrimp in batches in one layer in skillet. Cook turning once, until pink and cooked through, 2-3 minutes. Transfer to plate and repeat with remaining shrimp. Set shrimp aside to cool. Slice shrimp in half lengthwise down the middle of the back, except for the 6 with tails intact.

Combine tomatoes, serrano chile, jalapeno, red onion, garlic, lime and lemon juice, cumin, cayenne, salt and pepper to taste in a large bowl. Drizzle with one tablespoon olive oil. Add shrimp halves, and toss to combine. Cover and refrigerate up to 3 hours before serving.

Before serving, add chopped parsley and cilantro, stirring to combine. Serve in a bowl or on greens on a platter. Arrange whole shrimp with tails on top. Garnish with additional parsley and cilantro leaves. Serve with tortilla chips.

Appetizers, Curing, Denmark, Fish and Shellfish, holiday

Gravlax and Christmas

December 26, 2009July 31, 2014by Lynda Balslev4 Comments

The Danish Christmas season would not be complete without many Christmas Lunches. Christmas Lunch is the ubiquitous term for a multi-coursed feast punctuated by multiple toasts with schnaps, beer and wine. The season for these festive lunches spans the weeks of advent to several days following Christmas day. “Lunch” is actually a misnomer, since these smorgasbords can take place either during the day or evening.

A traditional Danish Christmas Lunch begins with a fish course, followed by meat, cheese and dessert. To me, the fish course sums up the beauty of nordic cuisine: Fresh, minimalist and refined. Herring, fjord shrimp and salmon are served open-faced on various breads (smørrebrød) with garnishes. There are many herring preparations: marinated with dill, folded in curried cream, spiced with wine and cloves. Every family has their own recipe which they think is best. Fjord shrimp are another Nordic delicacy: tiny shrimp the size of a fingernail, painstakingly peeled and artfully arranged in a towering piles on soft white french bread, and crowned with a dollop of creme fraiche and a squeeze of lemon.

My favorite fish is gravlax. It’s preparation and presentation are the essence of Nordic cuisine in simplicity and taste.Salmon is cured over days until it is meltingly soft with a clean taste of the sea. It’s edges are flecked with pepper and dill and tinged with salt, adding a restrained flavor that doesn’t overpower the fish.

Every Christmas I make my own Gravlax which we enjoy on Christmas day or New Years Eve. It’s very easy to prepare. Pay attention to the quality of the fish: It must be very fresh with a good consistency, not too mushy and preferably an Atlantic fish, such as Loch Duart Salmon. To serve, fold a slice of Gravlax on toasted brioche bread. Squeeze a few drops of fresh lemon juice and smear a spoonful of Honey Dill Mustard on the fish. Garnish with a dill sprigs.

Gravlax

Gravlax (gravlaks in Danish and Norwegian or gravad lax in Swedish) literally means salmon in a grave or hole. During the middle ages fisherman would salt salmon and let it ferment by burying it in a hole above high-tide line. Nowadays (unelss you wish to connect with your inner-viking) it’s not necessary to bury salmon in sand, but, rather in salt and sugar and let it sit in the refrigerator. The salmon will cure over several days, during which the salt and sugar will turn into liquid, creating a brine.

Serves a party

One side of salmon, about 3 lbs. (1.5 kg.), with skin, pin bones removed
1 tablespoon white peppercorns
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
10 oz. (350 g.) sea salt
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 cup fresh dill sprigs
1/4 cup Akavit or vodka

Finely grind peppercorns with a mortar and pestle. Mix pepper, salt, and sugars together in a medium bowl. Rub fish all over with salt mixture. Line a long baking pan or dish with plastic wrap. Place half the dill sprigs over plastic wrap. Arrange salmon, skin-side down on dill. Sprinkle Akavit over salmon. Top with remaining dill. Cover with additional plastic wrap, sealing the fish. Place a heavy pan or tray on fish. Weigh down pan with cans or bottles. Refrigerate for 3 days.

To serve, remove fish from refrigerate. Remove plastic wrap. Pour off collected juices and wipe off excess brine and dill. Slice diagonally from one corner of the salmon towards the center of the fillet. Serve with french bread or toasted brioche. Garnish with fresh dill sprigs and honey dill mustard.

Honey Dill Mustard

1/4 cup honey mustard
3 tablespoons cider vinegar
1/2 cup grapeseed oil
1/4 cup chopped dill sprigs
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt

Whisk mustard and vinegar together in a small bowl. Slowly whisk in oil to emulsify. Stir in dill, pepper and salt.

Appetizers, Fish and Shellfish, Soups and Stews

Lobster Bisque – a gift that just keeps giving

December 22, 2009December 1, 2010by Lynda Balslev4 Comments

reprinted from the TasteFood holiday archives

A gift box labelled “Perishable” arrived at our home earlier this week. I had a heads-up on this, because my mother, who lives on the coast of Maine, mentioned she was sending us something edible for the holidays. When the box arrived I was on my way out the door, running late to go into the city with a friend. When the deliveryman handed me the box, I imagined a fruitcake or chocolate. I set the parcel on my kitchen table and hurriedly put on my shoes by the door. Suddenly, the box shifted. I looked up in surprise, and my dog started growling. I hesitated, but the box didn’t move again, and my friend was outside tooting her car horn ready to go. Figuring the contents of the box were just settling, I picked up the box and placed it on a bench outside the front door in the cold air. After all the box said “Perishable.” I would tend to it when I came home.

An hour later my husband called me on my phone. He had arrived home early and discovered the box. Did I know the contents? I paused, knowing something was coming. He continued to tell me that we were the proud owners of 2 new family members. As he explained further it suddenly came to me: They were lobsters. From Maine. Of course.

So now what? I love lobster, but I don’t like to cook them. I face this contradiction every summer when we visit Maine. My husband is understanding and clearly not as conflicted in the lobster department, so generously offered to stun them and boil them before I came home. And when I did I found a platter of freshly cooked lobster. We enjoyed them for dinner, saving and freezing the shells and extra meat to make a bisque. Several days later I cooked the shells, making a rich stock for the base of the bisque to which I added the remaining lobster meat and cream. Served in demi-tasse cups it was a sublime and elegant addition to a holiday party, an extra treat created from the gift that keeps giving.

Lobster Bisque
an elegant addition to a holiday or celebratory dinner

Makes 4-6 portions

2 cooked lobsters

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/3 cup (80 ml.) brandy
1 fennel bulb, halved lengthwise, sliced thinly
3 shallots, sliced thinly
2 garlic cloves, cut in slivers
8 black peppercorns
3 tablespoons tomato paste
4 cups water

2 cups heavy cream

Prepare stock:
Working over a large bowl to catch juices, break off lobster tails and claws. Crack tails and claws and remove meat. Chop lobster meat in large chunks. Cover and chill.
Coarsely chop lobster shells and bodies. Place shells in bowl. Reserve lobster juice from the bowl.

Heat oil in a large pot over high heat. Add lobster shells and bodies and sear without stirring for one minute. Stir them and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the shells begin to brown, about 5 minutes.
Add brandy, fennel, shallots, garlic and peppercorns. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cook, stirring, until vegetables soften, about 3 minutes. Add tomato paste and water. Bring to a boil. Boil for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand for 15 minutes.
Strain through a fine-meshed strainer, pressing firmly on solids. (Can be made in advance to this point. Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days or freeze up to one month.)

Add cream to lobster stock. Simmer 10 minutes. Add lobster meat. Stir to heat through.
Serve in bowls or demi-tasse cups.

Crab and Shrimp Bisque:
If lobster is not readily available, you can substitute the lobster with crab or shrimp. In either case, pre-cook the crab or shrimp. Then remove the shells, saving the meat. Cook the shells and follow the recipe as noted above.

Note:
The bisque pictured above has lobster and shrimp meat, since we ate a good deal of the lobster when it was freshly cooked.

Appetizers, entertaining, Fish and Shellfish, Parties

More Easy Holiday Party Food: Smoked Salmon Tartare

December 18, 2009July 31, 2014by Lynda Balslev2 Comments

Smoked salmon tartare is another easy holiday recipe for entertaining. Finely diced smoked salmon is tumbled with rich crème fraîche and moistened with fresh citrus juice. Red onion adds sweetness and crunch while chopped dill and chives brighten and freshen the tartare. If you are feeling extra-fancy, garnish the tartare with salmon roe and serve with champagne, and watch how this easy appetizer morphs into an elegant black-tie hors-d’oeuvre.

Smoked Salmon Tartare

Try to resist the urge to use a food processor for the salmon. The salmon should be small individual pieces rather than a puréed mixture.

Makes about 2 cups

1 pound smoked salmon
2 tablespoons finely minced red onion
1-2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1-2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon crème fraîche or sour cream
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill sprigs
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chive ends
Baguette slices
Endive leaves
Fresh dill

Finely chop the smoked salmon in 1/8 inch dice and transfer to a medium-sized bowl. Add red onion, lemon and lime juice, lemon zest and black pepper. Fold in crème fraîche. (The tartare should be moist, but not soupy.)
Tartare may be made up to 8 hours in advance to this point. Cover and refrigerate.
Before serving, gently stir in chopped dill and chives.
Serve tartare with baguette slices or endive leaves. Garnish with snipped dill sprigs.

Appetizers, entertaining, Fish and Shellfish, holiday, Parties

Easy Holiday Party Food: Smoked Trout Mousse Canapées

December 16, 2009July 31, 2014by Lynda Balslev5 Comments

This is another figurative little black dress in the holiday recipe department. Smoked trout mousse canapées are the perfect addition to your repertoire of go-to recipes for easy entertaining. They are effortless to make, delcious to eat and elegant to serve. The results are addictively good: Salty, smoky trout lightened with cream cheese and brightened with fresh lemon juice. Toasted almonds and fresh dill add final crunchy freshness and tip these hors d’oervres into the sublime category. Just like a little black dress, this recipe is classic, popular and unfailingly dependable during the festive party season.

Smoked Trout Mousse

The ingredients keep well in the refrigerator, so they can be purchased in advance and kept on hand for an upcoming party dish or unexpected holiday visitors.

Makes about 1 1/2 cups

8 ounces (250 g.) smoked trout (or bluefish), skin and any bones removed
4 ounces (125 g. ) cream cheese, room temperature
1 small onion, grated with juices
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Dash of Tabasco

1/4 cup coarsely chopped toasted almonds
thinly sliced pumpernickel squares or sliced baguette

Garnish:
Dill sprigs
Fresh lemon slices, quartered

Combine all the ingredients except the almonds in bowl of food processor. Process until consistency is light and smooth. (If too thick, add additional lemon juice.) Transfer to serving bowl. Sprinkle with toasted almonds. Serve with thinly sliced pumpernickel squares or sliced baguette. Garnish with additional almonds, lemon slice and dill sprigs.

Appetizers, Fish and Shellfish, Main Course

Smoked Salmon Fish Cakes with Yogurt-Cilantro Sauce

December 4, 2009April 8, 2020by Lynda Balslev1 Comment

It’s not a good sign, when it’s early December and I am ready for a time-out. It feels like we are on a holiday train with no stopping until 2010. Don’t get me wrong, I am all for a good celebration, but right now I welcome a cozy night in with no plans, no cocktails and no make-up. On a night like this, I like to make savory, comfort food. One family favorite is Smoked Salmon Fish Cakes. Now to some, this may not be the first comfort food choice to leap to mind, but to me, a salty, crispy, smoky fish cake is the perfect RX for too many holiday engagements.

In my eternal search for the perfect fish cake, I found the best way to get the results I craved was to create my own recipe which had all of the right elements. This ideal fishcake is packed with fish, has little filler and is not mushy. It’s salty and piquant with just a little onion sweetness, bursting with fresh herbs and studded with bits of chile. Dipped in a garlicky Yogurt-Cilantro Sauce spiked with harissa, this dish falls in the addictive category with everyone reaching for more.

Smoked Salmon Fish Cakes

Makes about 16 2-inch diameter cakes

1 1/2 pounds salmon filets, skinned, pin bones removed
1/4 pounds smoked salmon
1 3/4 cup Panko bread crumbs
One small onion grated with juices, about 1/4 cup
2 scallions, ends trimmed, minced
2 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro (coriander)
2 tablespoons Greek-style whole milk yogurt
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon Tabasco, to taste
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Yogurt-Cilantro Sauce (see below)

Prepare:
Combine salmon filets and smoked salmon in bowl of food processor. Pulse to chop without over processing. The consistency should be finely chopped without becoming mushy.
Transfer salmon to a large bowl. Add 1/4 cup Panko breadcrumbs, onion with juices, scallions, parsley and cilantro. Mix with a fork to combine. Add yogurt, lemon juice, tabasco, pepper. Stir to combine.
Pour remaining 1 1/2 cup Panko breadcrumbs in a shallow bowl. Using a soup spoon scoop out a generous amount of salmon mixture. Carefully form it into a plump 2″ patty with your hands. Roll cake in Panko to cover. Place on platter. Repeat with remaining salmon. Add more Panko to bowl if necessary. (Patties can be formed up to 3 hours before cooking. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate.)

Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Add fish cakes in one layer. Fry until browned, turning once, about 3 minutes per side. Use a spatter guard to prevent oil from spattering. Transfer cakes to a plate lined with paper towel to drain. Repeat with remaining salmon mixture.
Transfer cakes to pre-warmed serving platter. Garnish with lemon wedges and parsley leaves. Serve with Yogurt-Cilantro Sauce.

Yogurt-Cilantro Sauce:

1 cup Greek-style whole milk yogurt
1 small garlic clove, minced
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1-2 teaspoons Harissa sauce, to taste
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro/coriander

Combine all the ingredients, except cilantro, in a medium bowl. Stir to combine. (Sauce can be made up to 4 hours before serving. Cover and refrigerate.) Before serving, stir in fresh cilantro.

Appetizers, Fish and Shellfish, Travel

Shrimp Spring Rolls with Coriander and Mint and Chili-Peanut Sauce

August 6, 2009July 30, 2014by Lynda Balslev3 Comments

Rule of thumb: When traveling to far flung destinations, eat as the locals do.

This has merit for several reasons. First (and clearly stating the obvious) if you are in France, for goodness’ sake, eat French. This is, after all, where you will find the authentic real deal. Second, when far off the beaten path (for instance, the garden route along the south coast of South Africa circa mid-90’s) steer clear of restaurant establishments that offer such delicacies as Authentic Tex-Mex! or Authentic Japanese Sushi! Same principal yet the inverse: this is far from authentic and far from the real deal. And, if you do find yourself far from home, hungry and homesick for a taste of your favorite neighborhood ethnic cuisine and succumb to the temptation, beware that, quite likely, you will be supremely disappointed.

This raises an interesting challenge of living abroad. Some of the wonderful aspects of the expatriate lifestyle are experiencing other cultures, tasting the local food, celebrating the different traditions. For all the experiences and pleasures, however, there can be moments when you simply crave the ribs from Redbones, the tacos from Olé Grill or the dim sum from China Pearl – your old favorite haunts, thousands of miles away and sadly ignorant of your self-imposed exile. During these unsympathetic, nostalgic and hungry moments, I learned that the best way to satisfy my craving was to make the dish myself.

This recipe for Shrimp Spring Rolls with Coriander and Mint is a result of my DIY culinary curve while living in Europe in the nineties. Unable to find a decent version in the restaurants, I learned to make these fresh, crispy, toothsome Vietnamese-inspired spring rolls at home. They are not cooked, but wrapped in rice paper and rolled up, stuffed and bulging with fresh mint and coriander, carrots, shrimp and vermicelli noodles. Dipped in a sweet and spicy chili-peanut sauce, these rolls are positively addictive and perfect food for the hot summer weather – and a perfect tonic to a homesick expat.

Shrimp Spring Rolls with Coriander and Mint and Chili-Peanut Sauce
Makes 8

Remember that the key to a good roll is to have a balance of sweet, savory, heat and salt in the ingredients and to combine a variety of textures for a satisfying bite. Be sure to prepare all the ingredients in advance, so that when you are ready to assemble the rolls, everything is in place.

3 oz. vermicelli rice noodles
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
8 (eight inch) rice paper rounds
4 Boston lettuce leaves, ribs removed, halved
1 cup shredded carrot
1 bunch coriander leaves, about 1 cup
1 bunch mint leaves, about 1 cup
1 english cucumber, peeled, seeded, cut in matchsticks
4 scallions, cut length-wise in julienne strips
1 serrano chile, stemmed, seeded, cut in julienne
15 medium cooked shrimp, peeled, halved horizontally

Chili-Peanut Sauce for dipping

Make Spring Rolls:
Place noodles in a wide bowl. Pour hot water over to cover. Let stand 15 minutes. Drain well in a colander. Toss with rice vinegar, sugar and salt.
While the noodles are soaking, prepare all of the ingredients, so that the spring rolls are ready to assemble.
Pour warm water into a shallow pan. Immerse one rice paper round in water until pliable, about 30 seconds. Remove and spread on a plastic cutting board. Blot dry with a towel.
Arrange a lettuce leaf half over the bottom half of the rice paper round, taking care to leave a 1″ border along the edge.
Top lettuce with 1/4 cup rice noodles, arranging them horizontally over.
Top noodles with a line of shredded carrot, coriander and mint leaves, cucumber, scallions and chile.
Fold bottom of rice paper over filling and begin to roll up tightly. At halfway point arrange 3 shrimp halves horizontally over the crease, then fold in the ends and continue rolling.
Transfer roll, seam-side down to a plate and cover with damp towel. Repeat with remaining rolls. (Adjust ingredient amounts to taste and to ensure the roll is plump and full, while still allowing it to be folded in and sealed.)
Spring rolls can be made 4 hours in advance. Cover with damp paper towels and plastic wrap and refrigerate. Serve with Chili-Peanut Sauce.

Chili-Peanut Sauce

2 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
2 teaspoons sweet chili sauce

In a small bowl, whisk together all ingredients. Set aside. Can be made one day in advance.

Tip: If you have left over filling ingredients and sauce, try tossing them together in a bowl for a light Asian Rice Noodle Salad with Chili Peanut Dressing. It works!