SPRING/SUMMER
Canh Ngot and Fried Lemon Grass Tofu: A typical Vietnamese lunch of Canh Ngot, a light fish vegetable bouillon, and a salty fried dish. The soup is slightly acidic from lime juice with an undertone of sweetness. The balance of salty, sweet, sour and spicy is again played out in this Southeast Asian meal. The spiciness comes from Nuoc Cham with minced chili served table side and left to the diner's penchant for spiciness. Rice is now the palate cleanser between bites.
A summer dinner begins with a Timbale of Haricots Verts Polonaise on Lime Hollandaise. Polonaise is a dish prepared with bread crumbs and eggs. The lime Hollandaise is an egg-based sauce used to create a fresh twist to an otherwise "old-fashioned" dish.
Pan Roasted Chicken with Honey Truffle Glaze and Peppered Peach
Georgia Peach is unbeatable in late June. Pan seared green peaches with black pepper creates an extraordinaire accompaniment to mild flavor roasts.
Wild Berry Coulie with Chocolate Swirled Vanilla Ice Cream. Black berries grow wild in my backyard at Le Rovine. The birds have been the benefactors, and I'm one of the fortunate recipients in this natural cycle.
Vietnamese Pho and Condiments. Pho is a soup of rice noodle and meat broth. Pho is typically made from beef and beef trimmings; but sometimes chicken may also be used. Some believe that the word pho has its origin in the Chinese word of Fun, meaning wide noodle, while others believe pho is a corrupted form of Pot-au-Feu /Pho, a French boiled meat dish that introduced the consumption of beef into Vietnam during the colonial era. In either case, the Vietnamese cooks have infused the original dish with Southeast Asian ingredients such as star anise, cinnamon, ginger, lime, and herbs. In the summer, I choose chicken instead of beef to make a lighter broth.
The summer continues to bring fresh ingredients from the local organic farmers. White Corn Chowder and Chive, this incredible soup comprises only four ingredients: fresh white corn, milk, raw garlic, and fresh chive. A small amount of raw garlic gives this concoction a suggestive hint of sweet lobster.Pan Bagna, fresh vegetables from the farmers markets also turned up in a light summer sandwich. Pan Bagna is a Mediterranean vegetable baguette bathed in dressing, olives, and anchovies. I used Vietnamese Nuoc Mam instead of anchovies.
Mussel Salad with Chives
The mussels are cooked a la Mariniere. They are dressed in the reduced cooking liquid and some mayonnaise; and then refrigerated until ready to serve.
This dish is a tasty treat in place of raw oysters which are "traditionally not safe" to eat in the Summer months.
Braised Chicken with Garlic, Ginger, and Lemon Grass: This Vietnamese everyday food is served with brown rice and a sweet and sour salad as a palate cleanser between bites. The chicken is chopped up into bite-size morsels with the bone still attached. This cutting technique allows the meat to remain moist and absorb more flavors. A Taiwanese friend once said that the majority of cases in the emergency rooms in Taiwan involve people choking on chicken bones!
This Vietnamese summer meal is sweetened at the end with Banana Pudding with Coconut Milk and Tapioca Pearls. In Southeast Asia, sweet treats are sometimes sprinkled with toasted sesame salt to create a yin and yang between the sweet and the salty.Grilled Herb Chicken with Baked Ratatouille: With the abundance of eggplants, zucchini, squash, peppers, and tomatoes from the local farmers markets around mid-June, baked vegetable dishes go well with grilled meat.
This dish was served cold.
Early June is hot in Atlanta and the gardenias on the side of my house are beginning to bloom. My taste buds are again turning to light and refreshing dishes. Green Papaya Salad with Beef Jerky and Basil: This cool salad is often served as a snack food on the streets of Saigon. The sweet vinegar, spicy chili paste, beef, basil, and crunchy green papaya create an unforgettable experience.Grilled Lemon Grass Chicken on cold angel hair rice pasta: This dish in Vietnamese is called Bun; a dish best served at room temperature with shredded lettuce on the bottom and fresh herbs on top. It's accompanied by a chili sauce, Nuoc Cham, similar to a vinaigrette on a summer salad.
For a quick look-up on Vietnamese Cooking, I refer to Corrine Trang's Authentic Vietnamese Cooking. Corrine Trang has a Chinese grandfather and a French mother, and grew up in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. In that light, I really could not ascertain how authentically Vietnamese she is; but I like the way she instructs and her insistence on relying on natural flavors in her cooking.
The farmers markets continue to turn out fresh produce. Butter Lettuce and Baby Arugula Salad: This salad is perfect with Bruschetta with Cherry Tomatoes and Fresh Basil for lunch. A light rubbing of raw garlic on the bruschetta is essential.
Whole Wheat Pissaladiere: A Provencal pizza with slow cooked onion. I actually bought the onions from a French woman at the Virginia-Highland Farmers Market. It is a nice feeling to know the people who grow our food, which makes all the difference in the way it tastes.
