spring rolls

we're experiencing some warm humid weather in southern CA today and it's making me think of hawaii, the beach and anything tropical. this is a nice light dish, simple to prepare and easy to impress. there are plenty of fried spring roll recipes out there, which i consider an egg roll, but these vietnamese spring rolls use tapioca sheets and plenty of fresh crunchy vegetables. they are easy to make ahead of time and keep in the fridge wrapped in a damp paper towel until you're ready to eat. rolling takes a bit of practice but once you get the hang of it, it's a lot of fun!

Chicken Spring Rolls with Sesame Peanut Dipping Sauce

makes 12 rolls

1 boneless skinless chicken breast

14 oz light coconut milk

2 keffir lime leaves, bruised

1 small red bell pepper, julienned

2 carrots, peeled & julienned

1 persian cucumber, julienned

3 green onions, julienned

1/2 cup micro greens

1 small bunch cilantro, leaves only

6 large tapioca sheets

1 cup sesame peanut dipping sauce (see below)

in a small saucepan, combine chicken breast with coconut milk, lime leaves and 14 oz water. bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes or until chicken is cooked. cool completely and shred. fill a large rimmed sheet pan with 1/4-inch warm water and dip 1 tapioca sheet in the water for a few seconds until it softens. carefully lay wrapper flat. in a row slightly below center and about 1-inch from the sides, place a small handful of chicken. then layer with a few strips of bell pepper, carrots, cucumber and green onions and top with a little of the greens and cilantro leaves. bring bottom of wrapper up and over filling, then fold in sides tightly and roll upward until sealed. repeat with remaining ingredients and sheets and slice in half with a sharp knife. serve with dipping sauce.

Sesame Peanut Dipping Sauce

1/4 cup toasted sesame seeds

1/4 cup water

2 tbs soy sauce

1 tbs lime juice

2 tbs creamy peanut butter

1/2 tsp fresh grated ginger

1/2 tsp chili garlic paste

combine all ingredients in a food processor and blend.

miso

we love a simple delicious salad for lunch or dinner - this one combines warm flaky salmon with fresh baby lettuces and a salty sweet asian dressing. the marinade and dressing are a great way to use up some of the white miso paste we mentioned last week! the baby romaine, baby red leaf and other fresh picked lettuce at farmer's market right now is so adorable! if you don't care for salmon, try this recipe with chicken or a nice white fish like halibut instead. enjoy!

Salmon Salad with Miso Dressing

serves 4

1/3 cup mirin

1/3 cup low sodium soy sauce

2 tbs fresh grated ginger

2 tbs white miso paste

2 tsp sugar

juice 1/2 lemon

1 lb salmon filet, skin on

3 large handfuls of assorted lettuces, like baby romaine & baby spinach, washed & torn

1/2 cup pea shoots, chopped

1/2 cup sugar snap peas, sliced on the diagonal

3 green onions, sliced

4 radishes, thinly sliced on mandolin

in a small bowl, combine mirin, soy sauce, ginger, miso, sugar and lemon juice and stir. place salmon in a large ziplock bag and cover with marinade. refrigerate for at least 15 minutes and up to 1 hour.

preheat oven to 400 degrees F. heat a large oven-safe non-stick skillet over medium high heat. sear salmon, top side first for about 3-4 minutes per side, until nicely browned and crisp. transfer pan to oven and bake until just pink in the center, about 6 minutes depending on thickness of fish. set aside.

gently toss torn lettuces, pea shoots, snap peas, green onions and radishes together and divide between 4 shallow bowls or plates. break up salmon into chunks and divide between plates. drizzle with dressing and fresh ground pepper.

Miso Dressing

1/4 cup white miso paste

1 tbs low sodium soy sauce

1 tbs rice wine vinegar

1 tbs mirin

2 tbs sugar

juice of 1/2 lemon

2 tbs olive oil

in a small bowl, combine miso paste, soy sauce, vinegar, mirin, sugar and lemon juice with 2 tbs hot water and stir to dissolve sugar. slowly whisk in olive oil and set aside.

five spice pork

this is a dish that really shows of the simplicity of asian cuisine. it's refreshing that something so basic can be so comforting - a big bowl of warm noodles, rich broth, tender pork and hearty greens. we could eat something like this every day! it's always fun and inspiring to slowly walk through the aisles of your local asian grocery and that's where we found these gorgeous soba noodles, spicy sambal oelek and gai lan. gai lan is also known as chinese kale or chinese broccoli and is very similar in taste to broccoli raab.

Five Spice Pork with Soba Noodles & Miso

1 lb pork tenderloin

1 tbs sesame oil

1 tbs ground coriander

1 tsp five spice powder

32 oz reduced sodium chicken stock

8 oz soba noodles

6-8 crimini mushrooms, sliced

2 tbs white miso paste

1 small bunch asian leafy greens (gai lan or choy sum), sliced

2 tbs soy sauce

3 green onions, thinly sliced

1-2 tbs sambal oelek, optional (hot chili paste)

preheat oven to 400 degrees F. rub pork tenderloin with a few drops of sesame oil and coat well with coriander, five spice, salt and pepper. roast until cooked through, about 25-30 minutes. cover with foil and let rest 5 minutes before thinly slicing.

in a large saucepan, bring stock and 1 cup water to a boil. add the noodles and mushrooms and simmer for 3-4 minutes. whisk in miso paste and add leafy greens. continue to simmer until greens are wilted, about 3-4 minutes. stir in soy sauce and remove from heat.

divide noodles and vegetables between bowls, top with sliced pork and cover with broth. garnish with a few more drops of sesame oil, sliced green onion and a little sambal oelek for heat. enjoy!