Vietnamese Spring Rolls

I learned how to make these on a trip to Vietnam.  They are a little labour-intensive, but they taste great and you'll get heaps of praise.

1 cup vermicelli noodles, softened in cold water about five minutes and then chopped

1 cup mushrooms, finely grated or chopped

1 cup carrots, finely grated

1 cup onion, finely chopped

1 cup zucchini, finely grated

1 cup bean sprouts

Salt & Pepper, to taste

1 egg yolk

Rice paper sheets, prepared according to package directions

Vegetable oil, enough to cover 1 cm deep in frying pan or wok

1.  In large mixing bowl, combine all filling ingredients (noodles, mushrooms; carrots, onion, zucchini, bean sprouts, salt & pepper, and egg yolk).  Mix well.

2.  Prepare the rice paper.  Cut some of the sheets in half.  Place round sheet in front of you and place a half sheet on top closest to you ( 1 whole sheet + 1/2 sheet per spring roll).

3.  Place 1 1/2 Tbsp of filling mixture on the double sheet, then roll it up, taking care to tuck in the sides as you roll.  Do your best to make the rolls tight, as it will make it easier to fry them in the oil.  Repeat until all filling is used up.

4.  Heat oil in frying pan.  Oil is ready when bubbles form around the tip of a wooden chopstick.  Place spring rolls in oil, taking care to place them open end down and roll them in the same direction as they were rolled.  Prick each roll with a knife or fork to allow for even cooking.  Keep turning spring rolls until golden brown, then remove from pn and drain well.  Serve with spring roll sauce and Enjoy!

Tip:  If you want meat spring rolls, you can add 1 cup of minced beef, pork, chicken, or shrimp.

Orange Roasted Salmon

I've made this twice and it turns out really well.  It also presents nicely and is a very unique and interesting dish.

1 1/2 tsp lemon pepper

1 Tbsp garlic powder (or 2-3 Tbsp garlic, minced)

2 Tbsp parsley (or about 4 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped)

salt & pepper, to taste

Oranges, thinly sliced

Onions, thinly sliced

1 1/2 cups orange juice

1/4 cup lemon juice (fresh is best)

1/4 cup honey

5-7 salmon filets

1. Combine lemon pepper, garlic, salt & pepper and parsley, and set aside.

2.  Arrange orange slices to cover bottom of a 9 x 13 baking dish (it's a lot prettier if you can use a glass dish); cover orange slices with onion slices and sprinkle with half of the parsley mixture.  Bake for 40 minutes in a preheated 400°F oven.

3.  Increase temperature to 425°F.  Push orange and onion to sides of dish and place salmon in the middle.  Whisk together orange juice, lemon juice, and honey and pour over salmon.  Sprinkle salmon with remaining half of the parsley mixture.  Bake for 15-20 minutes or until salmon is opaque in the middle.

4.  The original recipe calls for you to discard the baked orange slices and serve it with fresh orange slices, although they actually taste great and make for an interesting presentation, so I keep the baked ones.  It's as you like it.  There is a lot of yummy sauce left, so this dish would go really well with rice or even some nice bread to soak up some of the sauce after.

Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce

I made this the other night and it went over really well.

1 pound boneless chicken breasts, cut into strips
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup lime juice (fresh is best)
2-3 cloves garlic
1 Tbsp finely chopped gingerroot
1 tsp red pepper flakes
2 Tbsp water
3/4 cup coconut milk
2 Tbsp peanut butter
4 green onions

1. Combine soy sauce, lime juice, garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes. Reserve three Tbsp of the mixture, cover and refrigerate. Add water to remaining mixture and pour over chicken. Cover and let marinate at least half an hour and up to two hours.

2. For peanut sauce, combine coconut milk, reserved mixture, and peanut butter in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 2-4 minutes or until sauce thickens. Keep warm.

3. Thread chicken on skewers along with slices of green onion. Brush remaining marinade over chicken skewers and grill until chicken is no longer pink in the middle. Serve with rice and peanut butter sauce for dipping.