Vietnamese Spring Rolls

Our friends, Vinh and Tracy, were here this weekend. Whenever our families get together, we eat a lot of food. We had an unfortunate experience with a restaurant this time around, but I think that between Vinh and myself, we were able to salvage the dining experiences. Vinh made Vietnamese Spring Rolls and let me help, so now I can do it myself! These are somewhat labor intensive at the beginning, but it's great served room temperature or even cold the next day (breakfast!), or next few days, so you really can prep ahead. The ingredients will keep for about 4 days, so make it all. This is traditionally an appetizer, but if you go to all the trouble of making it, just invite some friends over and make it a meal.

What you need
*Some of the items needed are somewhat specialty and may be found in an Asian super market. If you can't find something, substitute with what you think you might like. This isn't rocket science. And the food police won't come find you.

Pork loin, about 2 pounds
marinade for pork:
1 Tbs. white pepper
1 Tbs. ground ginger
1 Tbs. garlic powder
fish sauce and water, 1:1 ratio, about 1/4 cup each (roughly)
2 Tbs. sesame oil
--Mix above together. Place pork in bag with marinade and refrigerate for 3-4 hours.
--Grill pork, slice in strips

2 pounds shrimp, boiled till pink, de-viened, de-shelled, and de-tailed

for wraps
large round rice paper (leave "raw" at the table)
rice noodles (boil till tender, just a couple of minutes, drained)
romaine lettuce
cilantro
red leaf Thai basil (only the leaves of the basils, the stems are like twigs)
green leaf Thai basil
bean sprouts
cucumbers, julliened or sliced (cut down vertically, then sliced to make half-moons)
Hoisin sauce, mixed with a bit of water to make it dip-able
peanuts, crushed, mixed with Hoisin sauce (above)
--each person should have his own bowl for dipping sauce

large bowl of hot water (not boiling), in the middle of the table
hot sauce, if you want it
Your table will look something like this:
Here's how you go about it:

• take rice paper and swirl it in hot water, just enough to get it a little flimsy (just a little!)
• lay it down on your plate
• place shrimp at one edge
• lay a piece of lettuce on top of shrimp
• start laying on the rest in any order
• begin rolling paper sort of tightly; when you've rolled all ingredients up once, tuck in the sides and continue rolling (think "burrito")
  
• dip (or, if you're like me, slather) your wrap in hoisin sauce

• and..................
  

YUM!!!
Now, go make some!

Pan con tamoca

Fancy name, eh? This wonderful appetizer (from Spain) is from my new friend Lenée. I didn't even believe her when she first told me how to make this, it seemed way too simple. But it's true! Four ingredients is all that's needed.

What you need

fresh tomato
olive oil
balsamic vinegar
salt
*amounts all to taste

Grate the tomato into a bowl so that the skins are left behind. Stir in about a tablespoon each of olive oil and vinegar to one tomato, then salt to taste.

Serve on a slice of toasted baguette topped with a thin slice of Manchego cheese.

Another way to use left-over sauce: Great as a sauce for pizza. Use this recipe from Cook's Country (again, so easy and good):

What you need:
Dough:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 cup beer (use Newcastle Brown Ale, or O'Doul's Amber)
olive oil

In a mixer or food processor, mix flour, baking powder, sugar and salt together. Slowly add beer and 1 Tbs. oil till ball forms. Form this into a tight ball, cover loosely with plastic wrap and let sit for 10 minutes. Divide into two balls, roll one at a time out onto floured surface to about 9 inches. Heat large non-stick skillet with 3 Tbs olive oil. Cook dough in skillet, poking holes in any bubbles that form (gentle, here!), after about 4-5 minutes, flip, add sauce with any other toppings (see below for suggestions), cover with lid for about 5 minutes. Transfer to plate or cutting board, or you can keep it warm in the oven while you do the same with your other dough round.



Suggestion for pizza topping:
Pan con tamoca (for sauce)
mixture of shredded Parmesan, Manchego and basil
chopped tomatoes (tossed with salt and let drain on paper towels while all the other stuff is going on)






Ok, as I was typing this all out, I realize it seems like more trouble than it's worth, but it's not. I swear. You will thank yourself. Your family will thank yourself. And, you will have a cheapo version of pizza for Friday night without pulling out all the coupons and getting sub-standard pizza. I know, I hate that, too.