In The Kitchen

I promised to share the Vietnamese spring rolls that my friend Lar taught me to make. It’s a few weeks late. I had trouble writing about it since nothing is really measured. But here it is …

Aside from the rice vermicelli noodles and the rice wrappers, most of the ingredients are not set in stone. You’re not going to mess up if you don’t add bean sprouts, for example. The amount of ingredients may vary as well. I love cilantro, so I may opt to use more cilantro than basil – although, I must admit, I love basil as much as cilantro. It’s really about using ingredients that you love.

I’m also going to show two variations of this spring roll. One is made with shrimp because Mica loves shrimp and one is made with roasted chicken and crushed pork rinds because, well, who doesn’t love pork rinds?

Ingredients:
8- to 10-oz. package of rice vermicelli noodles
12-oz. package of rice wrappers or tapioca flakes

About half a head of Romaine lettuce, roughly chopped
A handful of fresh Thai basil leaves
A handful of fresh mint leaves
A handful of fresh cilantro leaves
A handful of bean sprouts
About 3 to 4 spring onions, cut into 1-inch lengths

For the shrimp spring rolls:
A package of cooked cocktail shrimps

For the chicken spring rolls:
2-oz package of pork rinds,* crushed/ground
2 or more cups roasted chicken,** cut in cubes

For the sauce:
2 cups water
1 to 2 limes
A tablespoon or more of salt
A tablespoon or more of sugar
1 clove garlic, minced
A tablespoon or more of chili sauce

* I love pork rinds, so I probably use more than 2 oz. I also like using the salt-and-vinegar-flavored pork rinds. You can grind them in a large mortar and pestle or a food processor, if you have one.

** Leftover roasted chicken from last night’s dinner is perfect for this or you can try KFC’s grilled chicken.

Directions:
1. Cook the vermicelli noodles in a pot of boiling water for 3 to 5 minutes, or until al dente, and drain. Using your hands, pick up the noodles in small bundles and lightly squeeze them to remove excess water. Cut the bundles into thirds or 1-inch lengths, then set aside on a separate bowl or platter. (If the noodles are too hot to handle, rinse them first in cold water.)

2. Mix the lettuce, basil, mint, cilantro, bean sprouts, and spring onions in a bowl. Set aside.

3. If you’re making the chicken spring rolls, combine the chicken and crushed pork rinds in a bowl and season with salt and pepper. You can also add a sprinkling of sugar if you want to add a hint of sweetness. Set aside.

4. If you’re making the shrimp spring rolls, just put some shrimps in a small bowl, then set aside.

5. Now you’re ready to make some rolls. Fill a large bowl with warm water. Dip a wrapper in the water for a second to soften, then lay it flat on a large cutting board or any clean, flat surface.

6. Place a handful of the herb-and-lettuce mixture and some rice vermicelli on the wrapper about 2 inches from the bottom. (see above photo)

7. Fold the bottom of the wrapper once over the filling, then add 3 shrimps on top of the folded part of the wrapper (if making shrimp spring rolls) or a heaping spoonful of the chicken-pork-rind mixture (if making chicken spring rolls).

8. Continue tightly folding the wrapper until you’ve made a roll, making sure the sides are folded inwards.

9. For the sauce, heat about 2 cups water in a small saucepan until it comes to a boil. You are going to make a light sweet and sour mixture by adding salt, sugar, lime juice, and chili sauce to taste. Start by adding juice from half a lime and a tablespoon each of salt and sugar. Continue adding more salt, sugar, and lime, a little at a time, to adjust to your taste. When you’re satisfied with the combination of saltiness, sweetness, and tanginess of the mixture, add the chili sauce – again, to taste. Then add the minced garlic and simmer for 5 more minutes.

10. Serve the spring rolls with the sweet and sour sauce.

There you go! It really is easier than I probably made it sound. I encourage you to try it. I promise you, it’s great food!

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When I told the girls we were having chicken nuggets for lunch, they both screamed “Eowww!”. After watching the very first episode of Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution and seeing how processed chicken nuggets were made, they vowed never to eat chicken nuggets again. I had to convince them that I’m making something entirely different – these were the good kind, made from yummy chicken tenders.

I served the chicken nuggets with some broccoli, apple slices, and brie cheese. (Excuse the lack of focus on this picture. Lately I’ve been groggy all the time, probably from chugging cough syrup every 6 hours.)

Ingredients:
chicken strips, buttermilk, breadcrumbs, Parmegiano-Reggiano cheese, salt and pepper
balsamic vinegar, extra-virgin olive oil, garlic

Directions:
I got the idea for this chicken nuggets recipe from watching Everyday Italian, back when we still had cable. First, you marinate some chicken tender strips in buttermilk for an hour up to overnight in the fridge. (It’s better if you pound the chicken strips first so they’re nice and thin.) When you’re ready to cook, coat the chicken strips in a mixture of breadcrumbs and Parmegiano-Reggiano cheese. Pan-fry the strips until golden brown, about 3 to 5 minutes on each side. Season with salt and pepper.

To make sure the chicken strips are cooked through, I put them in a 350 degree oven for 15 minutes after frying. (If you pounded the chicken strips thin, you shouldn’t have to worry about not cooking them through in the pan.)

Serve the chicken strips with a garlic-balsamic dipping sauce. To make the dipping sauce, mince 2 to 3 cloves of garlic. Put the garlic in a small bowl and add about 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar. Slowly whisk in about 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil until the sauce emulsifies. Season with salt and pepper.

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