a hint of mint

Deborah
Ahhh, sunshine! Let's see how long it lasts. I have jumped at the chance to spend some time in my backyard, now very overgrown with spring blossoms and fresh herbs. This month the poor garden has experienced neglect due to my heavy schedule of catering parties and further hampered by the ambush of rain on my rare days off.

A tangle of mint and chives begins to take over the herb garden.

This week found me making hors d'oeuvres for a cocktail party for thirty people in a spacious Tribeca loft. On the menu: Spring Rolls, naturally, as what could be a more perfect season for them? I like to experiment with different ingredients when I make these, but one addition I always use is mint leaves. The mint adds a freshness and a bit of an eye opening surprise. The rest of the filling is a combination of different pickled vegetables, usually radish and cucumbers with a sprig or two of blanched broccoli and bean thread noodles for some substance.

Ingredients are assembled and ready to go.

I really like playing with this recipe, trying new combinations of fillings. The challenge for me is getting these little guys rolled tightly enough. Having watched a kitchen staff at a Vietnamese restaurant expertly roll them in quick deft movement to produce perfect packages I bemoan my own still less than nimble technique. My friend Rachel, an actress and film maker who is a native of Taiwan, suggested I try using peanuts ground with sugar to help keep the spring rolls tightly wrapped, as her family traditionally does. What a fantastic idea! The results were my usual slightly limp roll, but the addition of the sugar and peanuts gave them a distinctive flavor twist that I loved.

 Peanuts and sugar crushed using morter and pestle.

Assemble your ingredients and practice the art of rolling-up. It is a fun and tasty endevour, worth the slight frustration as you attempt to master the technique.

Spring Rolls with Mint and Peanuts

 2 Tbs. sugar
1/2 cup rice vinegar
1 cup of daikon radish, cut into julienne strips
1.5 cups of cucumber, cut into julienne strips
2 cups of bean thread noodles (also known as cellophane noodles), cooked
2 Tbs. Sesame oil
1/2 cup peanuts
1 bunch of scallions, green part only, cut into julienne strips
20 mint leaves cut into chiffonade ribbons
2 cups of cooked broccoli, cut into long strips
1 package of Spring Roll Wrappers (found in Asian markets)


Mix 1 Tbs sugar with the rice vinegar. Pour half the mixture over the radishes and half over the cucumbers and toss. Toss the bean thread noodles with the sesame oil. Crush the peanuts and 1 Tbs. sugar together in a morter and pestle or food prosesor. Assemble all the ingredients in bowls in front of you to start the rolling.  Fill a bowl with warm water. Quickly dip the rice wrapper in the water and lay it on the counter in front of you. Take a teaspoon of the peanut sugar mixture and spread it out over the wrapper. In the center of the rice wrapper lay a few strands of noodles, radish, cucmber, scallions, broccoli and mint. carefully fold over the edges left and right, to cover the ingredients, then roll up the wrapper from the bottom as tightly as possible to make a fat cigar shape. Set roll aside and continue with the rest of the wrappers, making about ten rolls. Serve immediately.

Amanda
Dare I attempt this? Deb, if you find this a little challenging, I can only imagine how it will be for me! When I saw "spring rolls", I immediately thought this would be a deep-fried dish. How pleasantly surprised I am to find this is not the case. This looks like a fun, interesting recipe to play around with.

The spring rolls are light, so they call for a wine that is not too heavy. You want the body of the wine to be in synch with the "weight" of the foods you are enjoying. Muscadet is a French wine which is made in the Loire Valley region of the country. The Melon de Bourgogne grape is used (often referred to as melon). Look for wines from the sub-appellation Muscadet-Sevre et Maine (this will be designated on the label).

The wines are most often light  bodied, fresh and crisp, and might even have a "fizzy" sensation. The acidity keeps the wines refreshing, and might even have a "salty" note to them. These wines are best enjoyed young - if you are looking to buy one now, look for the 2010 or 2009 vintages. Muscadet is classicly paired with shellfish, particularly oysters. The wines are typically low-ish in alcohol (12%), which makes them extremely food-friendly.

The light, crisp nature of the wine is ideal for the spring rolls. Neither will overpower the other. La Touche Muscadet is a favorite of mine ($11.99). It has wonderful zippy acidity and beautiful minerality. Perfect for Deb's Spring Rolls!

Something Familiar

Deborah
Sometimes I go back to the most obvious recipes because, well, they work! Time tested old favorites get tweaked over the years, but the basic classic combinations survive for a reason. I am thinking about salads right now. There is still some time left to enjoy the best of the farmer's markets and to eat it raw!


A cucumber grows at Hook Mountain

Cucumber salad is one of those dishes that doesn't get people too excited. And yet, and yet... the fresh clean crisp flavor definitely has a place at the table. I particularly like to serve it as a side with heavier dishes, anything with BBQ sauce for example. The cucumber becomes a great palate cleanser and counter point to thick spicy sauces in the summer. I am thinking of serving this with my friend, great cook and fellow blogger Katie Hoffman's Austin Baked Bean dish. I think she would approve. Her beans are another classic and familiar dish that maybe sounds old hat. But, when you make these dishes yourself from scratch you add your own preferences and flair. AND they are satisfying crowd pleasers. Now, who doesn't like to please a crowd?


I like to add feta cheese or ricotta salata to the cucumber salad for some tart creaminess. Onions and dill give the cukes a little backbone. This predictable dish still makes an impression and it wouldn't be (end of!) summer with out it.

Amanda, what would you serve with baked beans and cucumber salad? Now, there is a challenge! The beans are sweet and smoky and the cukes are cool and tart. I am imaging a late summer backyard party where the cooler air is starting to be felt.

Cucumber, Ricotta Salata and Dill Salad

2 Cucumbers
1/2 small white onion thinly sliced

Vinaigrette:
2 Tbs chopped dill, plus a few sprigs for garnish
1 clove garlic finely minced
1 teas salt
1 Tbs red wine vinegar
3 Tbs extra virgin olive oil

4 oz *Ricotta Salata or feta cheese (use a block of feta cheese, not crumbled)
Ground pepper to taste

*Epicurious describes Ricotta Salata as "...a firm cheese with a mildly salty flavor. It's available at some supermarkets and specialty foods stores, and at Italian markets."

Peel the cukes lenghtwise in stripes so that some color from the skin is left on. Thinly slice the peeled cukes, using a mandolin if you have one, then set aside. Place the sliced onion in a bowl of cold water and allow them to soak for 10 minutes. This will keep the onions from completely wilting and will help remove some of the sharp flavor (I use this method whenever I am putting raw onions in a salad). Drain the onions and add them to the cucumbers.

Make the vinaigrette: In a small bowl whisk together the dill, garlic, salt and vinegar. Slowly drizzle in the Olive oil as you continue to whisk. Pour vinaigrette over cumbers and toss to combine. Arrange on a serving plate and allow flavors to blend for half an hour. Before serving take a vegetable peeler and shave the cheese on top of the salad. Add a little freshly ground pepper to taste and garnish with the dill sprigs (fronds?).

Amanda

Well, I have to say you could not have provided this recipe at a better time. Tomorrow is my neighborhood block party. The street is closed off, and our close-knit block spends the day barbequing in the street while the children ride their scooters, jump in a bouncy house, and run wild and barefoot through the neighborhood. Hot weather is predicted. Everyone brings something. Of course, I have volunteered to provide the adult libations. But I have been conflicted about what side dish to make. Now I have my answer! This is perfect! What's even better, I have the ideal wine in mind. Today I am in wine shop, working. Not my usual day. But momentarily we will be joined by winemaker Alexandra Schmedes of Bodega Mas Que Vino Ercavio to present her wines for our Saturday in-store tasting. I first met Alexandra in June, when I accompanied my friend and importer Katell Pleven (of Ibanez Pleven Offerings) to Spain. Alexandra makes ouststanding wines at everyday prices. One of the wines in today's in-store tasting is the Ercavio Blanco, a blend of Airen and a small percentage of Sauvignon Blanc. Airen is the dominant white grape grown in La Mancha and across Spain. Her wine is clean, fresh and crisp. Truly refreshing. The fruity aromas and bright acidity are a perfect match for the cucumber dish. And the pineapple and peach flavors can stand up to the bolder flavors of the beans. As for wanting to please a crowd - this is the perfect wine. I love to recommend it for large gatherings since its price tag is rather low at $11.99 a bottle. Alexandra makes a great Rose as well, which is meaty and substantial on the palate - also perfect for an (end of) summer barbeque and certainly can hold up to a variety of foods.