Fresh Thai Spring Rolls with Peanut Sauce

This is my favorite spring roll and dipping sauce recipe! I got it from my friend Charity Lighten (Jemaica’s sister😊)

Rice paper
Vermicelli Rice noodles
Bean sprouts
Carrots Julienne sliced
English cucumber Julienne sliced
Purple cabbage thinly sliced
Fresh mint
Cilantro

You can add in any vegetable you would like, keeping in mind you are going for a Thai flavor.

Step 1: prepare the Peanut Sauce(see recipe below)

Step 2: prepare the veggies

Step 3: cook the noodles with the “rule of 3”

  -Boil the noodles for 3 minutes, turn off the heat and let them soak for 3 minutes, then rinse in cold water for 3 minutes(remember 3-3-3).

Step 4: prepare the rice paper

-using very hot water, rotate the rice paper in the hot water until all the sides are covered.  Place on a plate and wait until it has an “elastic feeling”.

Step 5: Roll the spring roll

 -noodles, lettuce, cabbage,  bean sprouts, cucumbers, mint and cilantro.
  Fold the paper over half of the filling, then fold the sides in.  Continue to roll getting tighter as you     roll.


Perfect Peanut Sauce

1/4 cup coconut milk

1/4 hoisin sauce

1/4 cup of peanut sauce

1/4 cup of plum sauce

1/4 cup of  water

1/4 cup of honey

Combine ingredients in a saucepan and bring to boil over medium heat.  Reduce heat and let simmer for 5 minutes.

Roasted Vegetable Salad with Balsamic and Soy Dressing

This is salad is so yummy. It's not the "run of the mill" salad so I know you'll like it. It's perfect for fresh garden vegetables. Enjoy!

Salad:
1 lb. cherry or grape tomatoes
4 vine tomatoes or Allegro tomatoes
16 white mushrooms
8 asparagus spears, trimmed
1 large onion, trimmed, cut into 4 thick slices
1 medium zucchini, wedged lengthwise
1 yellow zucchini, wedged lengthwise
4 T. olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 head Butter Lettuce, separated into leaves
Pecans or walnuts, roasted, chopped, for garnish (optional)

Balsamic Soy Dressing:
1/3 cup minced onion
1/2 cup Japanese soy sauce
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
2 T. parsley, finely chopped

Instructions:

Gently toss all vegetables, except lettuce, in a bowl with olive oil. Lightly season with salt and pepper.

Heat barbecue to medium high; add vegetables. Cook vegetables until crips-tender, about 2 to 4 minutes per side. (Grape or cherry tomatoes will cook about 1 minute quicker.) Remove vegetables when cooked; set aside. Cut cooked vegetables into bite-size pieces. Lay lettuce leaves on plate; arrange vegetables on lettuce.

Prepare the dressing: Whisk or mix in blender together all dressing ingredients.

To serve: Spoon the dressing over the salad and garnish with nuts.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Fresh Peach Salad with Tomato Balsamic Dressing

Salad:
Lay in each bowl:
Mixed greens
Peach slices
Goat cheese crumbled on top
Pistachios sprinkled on top
Green onions sprinkled on top

Dressing:
1 to 1 measurement of balsamic vinegar and olive oil
Salt and pepper
Fresh diced tomatoes
Shallots

Mix in blender:
Vinegar, salt and pepper and slowly add olive oil while blending
Stir in tomatoes and shallots. Let tomatoes and shallots marinate in the dressing for up to 30 minutes before serving.

Pour dressing on top of salad and enjoy! This is a very tasty and refreshing salad for the summer and fall during peach and tomato season.....or any other time of year when you can get delicious fresh peaches and tomatoes.

General Tso's Cauliflower

Ingredients:
1 T. sesame oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 inch piece of grated ginger
1/2 cup chicken or vegetable broth
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
2 T. tomato paste
2 T. cornstarch, dissolved in 1-2 tablespoons of cold water

For the batter:
1 cup flour
2/3 cup cornstarch
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. salt
4 eggs
Water as needed (about 1/2 cup)

Other ingredients:
1 head cauliflower, cut into small florets
A deep layer of avocado oil or high heat olive oil for frying
Scallions and sesame seeds for topping

Instructions:

General Tso's Sauce:
Heat the sesame oil in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the ginger and garlic and stir-fry for a minute or two. Add remaining ingredients and whisk to combine. Bring to a low boil; simmer for another 20-30 minutes or until sauce is thickened. If you want, you can add more sweetness, citrus, etc. to your taste.

Cauliflower Batter:
Whisk all the batter ingredients until a loose batter forms. The batter should be thick enough to cling to the cauliflower and cover it, but stay loose enough to easily drip off (adjust thickness with water).

Cauliflower Frying:
Pour oil into a heavy bottomed skillet to make it deep enough so it will cover the cauliflower about halfway (probably ends up being a few cups). Heat the oil over medium heat. Drop a small bit of batter in the oil to test it - when it rises to the top and bubbles, the oil is ready. Dip cauliflower florets in the batter and let the excess drip off before gently setting in the oil. Fry for a few minutes on each side, then flip, repeating sides several times if necessary until you get a nice golden brown fried exterior. The additional frying time helps make it a little crunchier, which is good! Remove and set on a cooling rack with paper towels underneath (again, rather than putting it all on a plate or bowl with paper towels, this keeps it crispy vs. soggy.

Serving:
Toss the fried cauliflower with the sauce (enough just to cover) and sprinkle with scallions and sesame seeds for serving. Serve with rice.

Brooke found this recipe on a blog called A Pinch of Yum. We really enjoy it. Thank you!

Yummy Stir Fry

Marinate:
2 lb. of thin sliced pork or chicken
4 T. ginger juice (peel and grate fresh ginger, then squeeze)
1 T. sugar
1/4 cup sake (rice wine) or dry white wine
3/4 cup soy sauce

For frying pan or wok:
2 T. avocado oil or high heat olive oil

Vegetables:
1 small head cabbage or 2/3 large head cut into about 2 inch squares
2 shredded carrots
2 onions chopped
3 peppers - green, red, yellow or orange (or a mixture of any color) cut into 2 inch squares

Preparation:

1. Marinate pork or chicken for at least 10 minutes, turning over occasionally.
2. Cut the vegetables.

Cooking and Serving
1.  Heat frying pan or wok with 1 tablespoon oil over high heat, pour in the meat mixture and saute meat until half-done stirring from the beginning to prevent pieces from sticking together.
2.  Add the chopped onions to the meat and cook for a few minutes until mostly done before adding the rest of the vegetables.
2.  Dump in all of the remaining chopped vegetables and stir-fry over high heat until the vegetables are crispy cooked. Do not overcook.
3. Serve with rice.

Note: For a smaller serving, cut everything in half.
Use organic ingredients whenever possible.

Panko Crusted Oven Fried Rockfish Fillets

INGREDIENTS

FISH

• 2 rockfish fillets*, 3/4 - 1 pound
• 2 TBSP of high heat olive oil or avocado oil for frying

FLOUR DREDGE

• 1/3 cup flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper

EGG WASH

• 1 egg
• 2 TBSP milk

PANKO CRUST

• 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs**
• 3 TBSP grated parmesan cheese
• 1 tsp of Old Bay Seasoning or any flavorful seasoning that you like.

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Place a large oven safe skillet into the oven and preheat to 425 degrees.

SET UP THE DREDGING ASSEMBLY LINE:

1. In a large bowl combine together the the flour, salt and pepper. Stir then pour onto a large plate.
2. In the same bowl combine together the panko, seasoning blend, and parmesan cheese. Stir then pour onto a large plate.
3. Wipe out the bowl, then use it again to whisk together the egg and milk.

PREP THE FISH:

1. Check the fish fillets for any bones and remove as necessary. Slice fish in half if necessary.***
2. Dredge first first in the flour, shaking off any excess.
3. Dip fish into the egg mixture, allowing any excess to drip off.
4. Coat fish in the panko mixture, shaking off any excess. Place on a clean plate and allow to rest 1 - 2 minutes so the panko can adhere. 

FRY THE FISH:

1. When the oven is preheated, add the 2 tablespoons of oil to the hot pan. Allow to heat 1 minute. Carefully add fish fillets to the hot oil.
2. Cook for 3 - 4 minutes, then carefully flip over.
3. Cook an additional 3 - 4 minutes, then check with a meat thermometer for an internal temperature of at least 140 degrees.
4. While fish cook, set up a cooling rack over a couple layers of paper towels. 
5. Remove fish from the pan and place on the cooling rack. Allow to drain 3 - 5 minutes prior to serving.

NOTES

*If your rockfish is thicker than 1" at their thickest point, you'll need to add an extra minute or two to the cook time. 

**Many of the rockfish fillets I find in the pacific northwest are too big to handle without splashing grease or having them fall apart on me. Slicing them into more manageable fillets makes this cooking method much easier. 

***If your rockfish fillets are large enough to cut into more than 2 pieces, you may want to add an extra tablespoon or two of panko to the crumb mixture.