What do you do when you find yourself craving Thai food and the nearest Thai restaurant is hours away? Oh yeah, and you have no Thai cookbooks and only intermittent access to the internet?
You fake it, of course, which is what I did not once, but twice, during my week-long stay “home” in Rhinelander, Wisconsin.
While I may be in the Northwoods, I am not in the backwoods. I was pleasantly surprised to find wonderful ingredients at THE local grocery store, Trigg’s, such as coconut milk, fish sauce, Thai green curry paste, udon noodles and lots of fresh herbs.
So I was able to prepare the following menu twice. It might be a little “faux” Thai, but it was easy and delicious.
First, I cooked this meal for my little sister Julie. Not only is she one of the few people left on this planet who have known and loved me for almost my entire life (I’m two years older), she is one of my partners in the lovely house on Lake Emma. And she also allowed me, and my sister Laura, to tag along on a trip to Thailand a few years ago. So she knows her Thai “flavor profiles.” (I learned that term from Top Chef.)
My second Guinea pig was my dear friend since 8th grade, Patti. Not only have we been friends forever, neither of us has changed a bit from those days at RHS. Go Hodags!
I'd be too embarassed to list this as a recipe, but as an appetizer, more like a snack, I combined equal parts goldfish crackers and wasabi peas. I call this mix "Fish and Bubbles," and the crackers nicely cut the heat of the wasabi peas.
Spinach Mushroom Soup with Udon Noodles
Source: I adapted this from a recipe in Kay Ewing’s Cooking School Cookbook. Kay Ewing teaches full participation menu classes in Baton Rouge, and this is my go-to cookbook.
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients:
4 c. chicken broth
1 c. sliced fresh mushrooms
1 clove garlic, minced
4 oz. fresh baby spinach, torn slightly
½ tsp. sugar
1 T. soy sauce
½ tsp. Tabasco sauce
1 tsp. cornstarch
1 T. water
¼ tsp. sesame oil
1 pkg. refrigerated udon noodles, about 1 cup
¼ c. chopped green onion
Process:
Bring the broth to a boil in a large saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to low and add mushrooms, garlic, spinach, sugar, soy sauce and Tabasco sauce. Simmer for 5 minutes. Increase heat to a boil and add the udon noodles. Cook until the noodles are al dente. Meanwhile stir the cornstarch in the water to dissolve. Add to the soup in a slow, steady stream. Cook and stir until slightly thickened. Remove from the heat and stir in the sesame oil. Ladle soup into individual bowls and garnish with chopped green onions. Serve immediately.
Thai Cucumber and Pineapple Salad
Source: original recipe
Yield: 2-3 servings
Ingredients:
1 cucumber, peeled and seeded, chopped into ½ inch pieces
1 8-oz. can pineapple tidbits, drained, juice reserved
¼ c. fresh mint chopped
Juice of one lime
One-half fresh jalapeno, seeded and finely minced
Process:
Combine ingredients. May be made one day ahead of serving.
Thai Chicken Curry
Source: original recipe
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients:
½ lb. fresh green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 T. vegetable oil, divided
1 large onion, quartered and sliced
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces
½ -1 c. chicken broth
½-1 c. light coconut milk
1-2 T. Thai green curry paste
1 T. sugar
1-2 T. fish sauce (or soy sauce to taste)
Tabasco sauce, to taste (optional)
¼ c. chopped fresh basil
¼ c. chopped fresh cilantro
Process:
Steam the green beans until crisp-tender. Refresh in cold water. Meanwhile, heat 2 tsp. of the vegetable oil in a wok. (I didn’t have a wok, so I used a very large pot to provide more surface area and contain splattering.) Stir fry the onions until they are crisp-tender and starting to brown. Remove from pot. Add 1 tsp. vegetable oil to pot and stir fry the chicken until done and starting to brown. Add ½ c. chicken broth to the chicken and scrap up brown bits. Add the coconut milk. (I couldn’t find light coconut milk, so I was careful to NOT shake up the can and then drained the thick coconut “cream” from the milk.) Stir in the curry paste until dissolved. Add the sugar, fish sauce, Tabasco sauce and heat. Stir in the green beans and onions. Add more broth and coconut milk to achieve desired consistency. Stir in the basil and cilantro and serve with rice, preferably jasmine.
Chocolate Mousse
Source: I found this recipe in the current (October, 2009) issue of Gourmet magazine and couldn’t resist, even though it's not even close to being Thai. I halved the recipe by approximating with the eggs. Unfortunately, I only served Julie Pepperidge Farm Milano cookies for dessert.
Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients:
8 oz. bittersweet chocolate (no more than 60% cacao), chopped
¾ stick unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces
3 large, eggs, separated
1 T. Cognac or brandy
1 c. very cold heavy (whipping) cream
⅛ tsp. salt
Process:
Melt chocolate and butter in a large metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water, gently stirring occasionally until smooth. Remove from heat. Meanwhile, beat yolks in a small bowl with an electric mixer until thick enough to form a ribbon that takes a few seconds to dissolve, 2 to 4 minutes. Whisk yolks into chocolate mixture along with the Cognac, then cool to warm. Beat cream in a medium bowl with cleaned beaters until it just holds stiff peaks. Beat whites with salt in another bowl with cleaned beaters until they just hold soft peaks. Fold whipped cream and beaten whites into chocolate mixture gently but thoroughly. Transfer to stemmed glasses, 4-oz. ramekins, or a serving dish. Mousse can be chilled, its surface covered with parchment paper or plastic wrap up to 2 days. Let stand at room temperature at least 30 minutes before serving.
You fake it, of course, which is what I did not once, but twice, during my week-long stay “home” in Rhinelander, Wisconsin.
While I may be in the Northwoods, I am not in the backwoods. I was pleasantly surprised to find wonderful ingredients at THE local grocery store, Trigg’s, such as coconut milk, fish sauce, Thai green curry paste, udon noodles and lots of fresh herbs.
So I was able to prepare the following menu twice. It might be a little “faux” Thai, but it was easy and delicious.
First, I cooked this meal for my little sister Julie. Not only is she one of the few people left on this planet who have known and loved me for almost my entire life (I’m two years older), she is one of my partners in the lovely house on Lake Emma. And she also allowed me, and my sister Laura, to tag along on a trip to Thailand a few years ago. So she knows her Thai “flavor profiles.” (I learned that term from Top Chef.)
My second Guinea pig was my dear friend since 8th grade, Patti. Not only have we been friends forever, neither of us has changed a bit from those days at RHS. Go Hodags!I'd be too embarassed to list this as a recipe, but as an appetizer, more like a snack, I combined equal parts goldfish crackers and wasabi peas. I call this mix "Fish and Bubbles," and the crackers nicely cut the heat of the wasabi peas.
Spinach Mushroom Soup with Udon Noodles
Source: I adapted this from a recipe in Kay Ewing’s Cooking School Cookbook. Kay Ewing teaches full participation menu classes in Baton Rouge, and this is my go-to cookbook.
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients:
4 c. chicken broth
1 c. sliced fresh mushrooms
1 clove garlic, minced
4 oz. fresh baby spinach, torn slightly
½ tsp. sugar
1 T. soy sauce
½ tsp. Tabasco sauce
1 tsp. cornstarch
1 T. water
¼ tsp. sesame oil
1 pkg. refrigerated udon noodles, about 1 cup
¼ c. chopped green onion
Process:
Bring the broth to a boil in a large saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to low and add mushrooms, garlic, spinach, sugar, soy sauce and Tabasco sauce. Simmer for 5 minutes. Increase heat to a boil and add the udon noodles. Cook until the noodles are al dente. Meanwhile stir the cornstarch in the water to dissolve. Add to the soup in a slow, steady stream. Cook and stir until slightly thickened. Remove from the heat and stir in the sesame oil. Ladle soup into individual bowls and garnish with chopped green onions. Serve immediately.
Thai Cucumber and Pineapple Salad
Source: original recipe
Yield: 2-3 servings
Ingredients:
1 cucumber, peeled and seeded, chopped into ½ inch pieces
1 8-oz. can pineapple tidbits, drained, juice reserved
¼ c. fresh mint chopped
Juice of one lime
One-half fresh jalapeno, seeded and finely minced
Process:
Combine ingredients. May be made one day ahead of serving.
Thai Chicken Curry
Source: original recipe
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients:
½ lb. fresh green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 T. vegetable oil, divided
1 large onion, quartered and sliced
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces
½ -1 c. chicken broth
½-1 c. light coconut milk
1-2 T. Thai green curry paste
1 T. sugar
1-2 T. fish sauce (or soy sauce to taste)
Tabasco sauce, to taste (optional)
¼ c. chopped fresh basil
¼ c. chopped fresh cilantro
Process:
Steam the green beans until crisp-tender. Refresh in cold water. Meanwhile, heat 2 tsp. of the vegetable oil in a wok. (I didn’t have a wok, so I used a very large pot to provide more surface area and contain splattering.) Stir fry the onions until they are crisp-tender and starting to brown. Remove from pot. Add 1 tsp. vegetable oil to pot and stir fry the chicken until done and starting to brown. Add ½ c. chicken broth to the chicken and scrap up brown bits. Add the coconut milk. (I couldn’t find light coconut milk, so I was careful to NOT shake up the can and then drained the thick coconut “cream” from the milk.) Stir in the curry paste until dissolved. Add the sugar, fish sauce, Tabasco sauce and heat. Stir in the green beans and onions. Add more broth and coconut milk to achieve desired consistency. Stir in the basil and cilantro and serve with rice, preferably jasmine.
Chocolate Mousse
Source: I found this recipe in the current (October, 2009) issue of Gourmet magazine and couldn’t resist, even though it's not even close to being Thai. I halved the recipe by approximating with the eggs. Unfortunately, I only served Julie Pepperidge Farm Milano cookies for dessert.
Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients:
8 oz. bittersweet chocolate (no more than 60% cacao), chopped
¾ stick unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces
3 large, eggs, separated
1 T. Cognac or brandy
1 c. very cold heavy (whipping) cream
⅛ tsp. salt
Process:
Melt chocolate and butter in a large metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water, gently stirring occasionally until smooth. Remove from heat. Meanwhile, beat yolks in a small bowl with an electric mixer until thick enough to form a ribbon that takes a few seconds to dissolve, 2 to 4 minutes. Whisk yolks into chocolate mixture along with the Cognac, then cool to warm. Beat cream in a medium bowl with cleaned beaters until it just holds stiff peaks. Beat whites with salt in another bowl with cleaned beaters until they just hold soft peaks. Fold whipped cream and beaten whites into chocolate mixture gently but thoroughly. Transfer to stemmed glasses, 4-oz. ramekins, or a serving dish. Mousse can be chilled, its surface covered with parchment paper or plastic wrap up to 2 days. Let stand at room temperature at least 30 minutes before serving.
