We recently had some folks over for dinner and Suzanne made a Thai meal. She’s been bragging about he ability to cook authentic Thai food, so this was her chance to back it up.

And back it up, she did! In style. Seven dishes and two sauces. We fed six people and had plenty of leftovers. Maybe the most amazing thing was that the entire meal required a shopping trip to a single Thai market that rang in at just under $90.

I helped out some, but not much. I did, however, make the Miang Yuan. I’ve been making them for years, and when I suggested we have them on the menu, it was suggested that if I wanted them, I could make them. Not a problem.

Here are the dishes.

Miang Yuan (Fresh Spring Rolls)

• about a pound of shrimp
• 1 cup fresh cilantro leaves
• 3 oz rice vermicelli
• 1 cup shredded carrot
• 9 tender lettuce leaves (such as Boston), cut lengthwise in half, washed, dried, wrapped, and chilled to crisp
• 1 cup mung bean sprouts
• 1 cup fresh mint leaves
• 18 round rice paper wrappers, each about 8 inches in dia.
• Fresh mint sprigs for garnish

Clean and/or cook the shrimp as required.

Soak the rice vermicelli until soft and drain.

To assemble the rolls, set out the ingredients on a counter in the above order. Fill a bowl with hot water. Dip a wrapper in the water until it’s soft and spread it out on a flat surface. I found that using a small cutting board worked well, then you can simply slide it along the counter from ingredient to ingredient.

Place a few shrimp in the middle of the wrapper, slightly on your side. 3 if they’re medium or more if they’re small. Place Cilantro on the shrimp, arranging it pretty if you care to. Add some noodles and carrot. Cover with a piece of lettuce and top with sprouts and mint.

Fold the edge of the wrapper nearest you over the filling. Tuck each side over the ends of the filling, and continue rolling to make a roll.

Pile them up, keeping them from touching too much. I put a piece of plastic wrap between each layer. Cover to keep from drying if you’re not serving them immediately.

Look Chin Gai (Chicken Balls)

• 1 pound boned, skinned chicken
• 2 tbsp fish sauce
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 tsp ground white pepper
• 1 tbsp finely chopped garlic
• 2 quarts water

Grind all ingredients except the 2 quarts of water (duh) until a smooth puree is formed.

Bring the 2 quarts to a boil. Form 1-1.5 tbsp balls out of the chicken stuff. Drop them into the boiling water and cook until they rise to the surface and are firm. Remove and drain thoroughly on a rack.

Brush the balls with oil and grill or broil until browned. Put them on skewers if you like.

Serve the above dishes with one or both of the following sauces.

Nam Jim Gratiem (Garlic Sauce)

Makes 3/4 cup

• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup white vinegar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tsp ground chili paste
• 2 tsp (about 4 cloves) finely chopped garlic
• 1/2 tsp salt

Combine all ingredients in a stainless-steel or enamel saucepan and bowl slowly until the mixture is reduced buy about a half. Ideally you want it to have a consistency slightly thinner than heavy cream.

Can be stored for up to two months in a closed jar in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Nuoc Cham (Chili Dipping Sauce, Vietnamese style)

Makes about 1 1/2 cups.

• 2 tbsp coarsely chopped garlic
• 2 tbsp coarsely chopped fresh red cili
• 1/2 cup fish sauce
• 3 tbsp sugar
• 1/4 cup white vinegar
• 1/4 cup fresh squeezed lime juice
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 tbsp finely chopped, unsalted dry-roasted peanuts
• 2 tbsp finely shredded or grated carrot

In a food processor or bender combine the garlic, chili, fish sauce, sugar, vinegar, lime juice and water. Blend well.

Can be stored for up to two months in a closed jar in the refrigerator. Serve at room temperature, adding the peanut and carrot just before.

Yum Wun Sen (Transparent Noodle Salad)

Serves 4-6.

• 1/4 bean thread noodles
• warm water
• 2 cups of napa cabbage (once shredded)
• 1 medium carrot
• 1 stalk celery
• 2 green onions (white and green parts)
• 2 serrano chilis or 1 tsp ground, roasted chili paste)
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 tsp (2 cloves) finely chopped garlic
• 1/4 lb ground pork or ground chicken
• 1/4 lb peeled, deveined raw shrimp
• 3 tbsp fish sauce
• 3 tbsp lime juice
• Green lettuce leaves
• 12 cup coriander sprigs

Soak the noodles for twenty minutes in warm water to cover. Drain well, cut into two-inch lengths and set them aside in a colander to continue draining.

Slice the cabbage into paper thin shreds. Finely shred the carrot. Thinly slice the celery and green onions diagonally. If using the serrano chilies, slice them into thin, lengthwise strips. Set the vegetables aside in one bowl, and mix in the chilies.

Heat a wok, add oil, and coat the pan. Add garlic and stir-fry until lightly golden. Add pork or chicken and stir-fry until the pink color has completely disappeared. Add shrimp. Add the noodles and toss gently until mixed.

Put the meat/noodle mixture into a mixing bowl and add the raw vegetables, fish sauce, and lime juice. Mix thoroughly and allow to cool to room temperature.

Put a single layer of lettuce leaves on a serving platter and arrange the salad over them. Garnish with coriander sprigs.

Kwaytiow Paht (Stir Fried Rice Noodles)

Serves 4-6.

• 1 large package of fresh, wide rice noodles (or the corresponding amount of dry rice noodles)
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 2 cups sliced shallots
• 2 tbsp finely chopped garlic
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh red or green hot chilies
• 2 tbsp fish sauce
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp oyster sauce
• 2 tbsp palm sugar
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup fresh Thai basil leaves
• 1 cup fresh mint leaves
• fresh thai basil and/or mint to garnish

Prepare noodles as directed. Drain and set aside.

Heat a wok, add oil and swirl. When the oil is hot but not yet smoking, add shallots and stir-fry for a minute. Add garlic and chili and fry for another 30 seconds.Stir in the fish sauce, soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, and pepper to taste. Stir until the mixture thickens, about five minutes.

Add the drained noodles and gently stir-fry until tender yet still firm to the bite, about a minute, adding a little more oil if the noodles stick. Add basil and mint and gently toss until the leaves wilt.. Remove from heat.

Transfer to a serving dish. Garnish with the herb leaves. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Gai Pad nam Prig Pao (Chicken in Roasted Curry Sauce)

Serves 4-6.

• 3 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 1/2 tbsp granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 cup roasted red curry (see below)
• 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 6 green onions, white part only
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 tsp (2 cloves) finely chopped garlic
• 1/2 cup whole, unsalted, roasted peanuts

Mix fish sauce, sugar, water, and roasted red curry in a small bowl and set aside. Cut the chicken into bite sized pieces and set aside. Slice the green onions diagonally into 1/2 inch pieces.

Heat a wok, add the oil, and swirl. Add garlic and stir-fry until light golden. Add chicken and str-fry until the pink color is completely gone. Add the liquid from the first step and stir until it boils.

Add peanuts and green onions, stirring until the onions are crisp-tender and the peanuts are heated through.

Serve warm, with rice.

Nam Prig Pao (Roasted Red Curry)

Use hotter chilies if you want a spicier curry.

Makes 3 cups.

• 3 oz wet tamarind (or 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp tamarind concentrate + 1/4 cup warm water)
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup warm water
• 1/4 lb dried New Mexico or California chilies
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup finely chopped garlic
• 1 cup finely chopped yellow onion
• 1 1/4 cups dried shrimp
• 1/4 cup shrimp paste

Skip this step if you’re using tamarind concentrate. Soak the wet tamarind in 3/4 cup warm water for 15 minutes or until it is soft. Press it through a sieve, making sure to press through all the pulp you can. Scrape the outside of the sieve carefully to get all the pulp, and discard the residue inside the sieve.

Place the tamarind and sugar in a saucepan and bring to a boil.

Remove the stems and seeds from the chilies, and tear into pieces once inch square or smaller. Heat a wok, add 1/2 cup of oil, and swirl. Stir-fry the chilies over moderate heat until they are a deep red and lightly fragrant, being careful not to let them burn. Remove the chilies, but not the oil. Set them aside in a bowl.

Add two tbsp more oil to the wok and stir-fry the garlic until it is lightly golden. Remove the garlic, but not the oil, and add it to the chilies.

Add two tbsp more oil to the wok and stir-fry the onion until it is light golden. Remove the onion, but not the oil, and add it to the garlic and chilies.

Add 1/4 cup more oil to the wok. Add the dried shrimp and cook for about a minute. Add the shrimp paste and stir-fry until the color has become uniform and the strong oder has subsided. Remove the mixture, including the oil and add it to the previously fried ingredients. Allow them to cool to room temperature.

Place the fried mixture and the oil in a food processor or blender and grind it to a smooth paste. If it seems dry or crumbly, add more oil to form a smooth, thick paste.

Add the cooked tamarind mixture to the ground chili mixture and stir to combine well.

Store the curry in a closed jar in the refrigerator for up to six months.

Mussaman Nue (Beef Mussman)

Serves 8-10.

• 2 oz wet tamarind or 1/4 cup tamarind concentrate
• 1/2 cup warm water
• 1 lb flank steak
• 1 cup whole roasted unsalted peanuts
• 3 cups thin coconut milk
• 1 large potato
• 2 cups thick coconut milk
• 1 recipe of Musman Curry (see below)
• 12 cardamon seeds
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp fish sauce
• 1/4 cup plus 3 tbsp sugar

Skip this step if you’re using tamarind concentrate. Soak the wet tamarind in 3/4 cup warm water for 15 minutes or until it is soft. Press it through a sieve, making sure to press through all the pulp you can. Scrape the outside of the sieve carefully to get all the pulp, and discard the residue inside the sieve.

Cut the beef into 1/3-inch cubes. Place beef, peanuts, and thin coconut milk in a large covered saucepan and boil gently over medium heat for 30 minutes.

Peel the potato and cut it into 1/3-inch cubes. Add it to the saucepan, stir, and cook the mixture, covered, for 15 minutes more. Remove the mixture from the heat and set aside.

Bring the thick coconut milk to a boil in a saucepan and remove it from the heat.

Heat a wok and add 1/4 cup of the thick coconut milk and the Musman Curry. Stir the mixture over moderate heat until it is thick and pale tan. Add the cardamom seeds. Add the rest of the thick coconut milk, 1/4 cup at a time, stirring it over high heat until the sauce becomes slightly thick after each addition.

Add the mixture from the above step to the beef mixture, and bring it to a boil. Add the fish sauce, sugar, and tamarind solution/concentrate. (If you used concentrate, add 1/2 cup warm water and stir to mix well).

Serve with rice.

Nam Prig Gang Mussaman (Musman Curry)

Makes 1/2 cup.

• 7 small dried red chilies
• 2 pieces kah
• 1/2 cup warm water
• 1 tbsp coriander seeds
• 1 tsp cumin or fennel seeds
• 1 tsp whole cloves
• 1 stalk lemon grass, bottom 6 inches only
• 2 tbsp finely chopped garlic
• 1/4 cup finely chopped yellow onion
• 1 tsp shrimp paste
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 tsp ground nutmeg

Remove the stems and seeds from the chilies. Soak the chilies and kah in the warm water for 20 minutes. After soaking, drain and discard the soaking water.

Place the coriander seeds, cumin (or fennel) seeds, and the coves in a dry skillet and roast them over moderate heat until the cumin seeds have darkened, the cloves have turned a green-grey color, and the mixture is very fragrant, about 2 minutes.

Chop the chilies, kah, and lemon grass finely. Combine with the remaining ingredients and pound or grind to a smooth paste with a mortar or blender. (If you’re using a blender you may need to add water to aid in grinding.)

Can be stored in a closed container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

Taco Saku (Coconut Rice Pudding)

Makes 16 pieces.

• 1/2 cup long-grain rice
• 2 cups water
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1/2 cup small tapioca pearls
• 1/4 cup + 1 tbsp granulated sugar
• 1 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 1/2 tbsp granulated sugar
• 2 cups thick coconut milk

Soak the rice in the 2 cups water overnight

Bring 1 1/2 water to a boil. Put the tapioca pearls in a sieve and rinse them quickly under running water. Add them to the boiling water and stir until they become translucent. Add the 1/4 cup+ sugar and stir until it dissolves.

Remove the mixture from the heat and pour it into small custard cups or an 8 x 8 x 2-inch baking pan.

Wash the soaked rice in 2 or 3 changes of water until the water runs clear, and drain it well. Grind the uncooked rice with the salt, sugar, and 1 cup of the coconut milk until it is pureed.

Put the ground rice mixture into a pan with the remaining coconut milk. Cook over medium heat until it thickens slightly. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 10 to 15 minutes more, until it is very thick but still pourable. If the mixture begins to dry out or gets too thick to pour, add more coconut milk as needed.

Remove the pan from the heat and pour the mixture evenly over the layer of tapioca pudding.

Serve at room temperature.

For our April dinner party (yes, it’s officially “our” dinner party now) Suzanne made Tortilla Soup.

Compared to our previous dinner parties, this was cheap and simple. I believe the ingrediants came to around $30 at the corner Mexican market (one of the many advantages of living in The Mission). It did take Suzanne all afternoon to prepare everything, though.

The idea is that you make a simple broth, and an assortment of things for the diners to put in their bowls. We had plenty of options, including:

- passila chilis (julienned and fried)
- jalapenos (julienne and fried)
- corn on the cob (boiled and sliced into rounds)
- cilantro (coarsely chopped)
- tomatoes (chopped)
- tortilla strips (fresh fried)
- queso fresco (crumbled)
- white onion (finely chopped)

Start by making a simple broth however you like. Ours was a vegi broth. Be to throw in some Epazote.

Here are a couple of the results:

We recently had our February dinner party. This time we went with an Italian theme as mentioned in a previous post.

Things played out pretty much as planned. The only real change was that a few people had to bail so we ended up with 6 including me and Suzanne.

While we finished cooking the pasta, there was antipasti for people to nibble on. Top to bottom: sun-dried tomatoes, anchovies, grilled eggplant, artichoke hearts, and roasted red peppers.

We also had a selection of Italian cheeses.

The final bit of antipasti was a mozzarella roll. Suzanne got the cheese at the Fancy Food Show (possibly NSFW if you work somewhere uptight). It was a sheet of mozzarella rolled up into a cylinder. The idea is to unroll it, put stuff on it and roll it up again. Like a jelly roll or sticky buns. Suzanne filled it wirh sundried tomatoes and fresh basil. Neither of us are quite sure how we felt about the result. I later found a great way to put it to optimum use. That’s for a latter post.

Then there was the pasta. We cooked up some dried faro linguini that @daksis had given me to try. Very nice flavor and texture. Also I made (from scratch) a ricotta gnocchi. For sauces we had a basil pesto and an “almost” puttanesca (leaving out the anchovies as one guest was vegetarian).

Then there was dessert! Suzanne made an incredibly good Ligurian lemon cake with raspberries, and I made tiramisu from the recipe in The Silver Spoon (also see this, which includes the tiramisu recipe) which I recently added to my cookbook collection (at the suggestion of @daksis).

Throw in lots of wine and plenty of coffee, and we had a very pleasant evening.

My (now ‘our’) February dinner party is starting to take shape. This month it will be an Italian meal. French might have been a stretch, but I’m largely in my element with Italian cooking.

The plan is to start with a spread of antipasti: roasted peppers, olives, cold meat, …

The plan is to have some pasta:

Not that much variety!

I’m thinking of making homemade fettuccini and gnocchi.

I’ll also make a selection of sauces.

A tomato based:

Of course, a pesto:

Add a salad, bread and some Italian wine.

And for desert: Tiramisu.

This part will be something new.

I’m considering my first dinner party a success. The food went over well, although the crème brûlée didn’t set right. That figures: 2 perfect practice runs and it fails when it’s in the limelight. Oh well… there will be more crème brûlée. In any event, it provided great entertainment for one my guests who appointed herself sous chef and manned the torch.

Here’s the menu:

Appetizers:

Mixed olives

Not much to say about this. Olives in a nice dish, and a place to discard the pits. Done.

Sun-dried tomato & bocconcini skewers

Again, trivial to make, and only takes a few minutes. I’d thought I saw this in The French Laundry cookbook. I was mistaken… I have no idea where saw it, I’ve flipped through so many cookbooks in the last 2 weeks! Both my own and at bookstores. It could have come from anywhere.

Take a tub of cherry sized bocconcini, a jar of oil packed sun-dried tomatoes. Cut the tomatoes in half lengthwise. Take small skewer (cocktail style) fold a piece of tomato in half and skewer it. Add a piece of bocconcini and a second piece of tomato. Done.

Chunks of sweet baguette

This was from The Acme Bread Company in San Francisco, my preferred source of bread. I put this out at the beginning and left it out through the main course.

Main course:

Potato gratin

I used the Classic Potato Gratin recipe at Fine Cooking. I can not emphasize how much I appreciate my mandoline now: consistent extremely thin slices. Yes, I could see though them. It took about 5 minutes to slice half a dozen or so potatoes.

Boeuf bourguignon

This is the centerpiece of the meal, in my opinion. Julia Child’s famous recipe. From start to putting in the fridge for overnight, this took 7 hours to make:

• ~1 hour to prep & saute the various random bits
• 2 hours to brown all the beef
• 3 hours bubbling in the oven
• ~ another hour to finish the gravy, and let it cool enough for the fridge

Not something I’d make frequently, but I will be making it semi-regularly. It is Just. That. Good.

Brussels sprouts

Trim, wash, quarter, saute in plenty of butter with a bit of olive oil, freshly ground pepper (is there any other kind?), and a sprinkle of Sel Gris. Slowly sauté until the sprouts are golden brown and just caramelizing.

Roasted cauliflower and garlic

Again, pretty simple. Trim, clean & chunk the cauliflower. Trim, peel, and crush the garlic. Crush with the side of your chef’s knife… repeatedly, scrapping the spine of the knife over it mashing the garlic into the cutting board. Give is a course chop if required. Melt, butter and oil in an oven-safe skillet. Add a bit of pepper and a sprinkle of salt (these days I use sel gris for pretty much all my cooking). Add the garlic and let it soften a bit. Add the cauliflower and slowly sauté until it starts to brown. Pop it in the oven until it’s nicely roasted. (I put it in with the gratin in the 400F oven)

Dessert:

White chocolate crème brûlée

This recipe was also from Fine Cooking.

Ongoing:

A selection of cheese and fruit

Apple, pear, a mild gruyere, emmental, and a triple cream brie that seemed popular.

General comments

Pretty much everything on the menu was organic, local and/or seasonal, primarily from WholeFoods. Their pastured beef is amazing. The butter was standard off the shelf unsalted stuff, but will be better next time. I don’t think the olive oil is organic, but it’s from a family operation in Modesto: Sciabica.

As I said, this was my first time having more than a couple people over for dinner in a LONG time. And certainly the first time being so adventurous and experimental with the menu. As I was on my way home to start the cooking, I experienced the trepidation… “What have I gotten myself into? What if people don’t like my food?” But once I got home and starting doing prep, any anxiety evaporated. I was in my element. I got into the zone. I was cooking.

I’m already having ideas about next month.

The kitchen elves are hard at work (nod to JK Rowling). Ok… that’d be me. The boeuf bourguignon has been bubbling away in the oven for about 2 hours. I just topped it up with a bit more wine. Mushrooms are sauteing merrily.

I’m making a slightly larger batch this time… starting with nearly 5 pounds of beef rather than 3. That’s a lot of beef. It took over 2 hours just to brown it all! It’s amazing really.. it starts out as a pot full of beef & wine and transforms into a pot full of awesome in a mere 3 hours. That water to wine trick has nothing on this.

Another hour or so will finish it for tonight. Then I’ll grab a few hours sleep before heading out to Sur la Table & Whole Foods (this seems to have become a weekly pilgrimage) to get the final few things I need. Then home to make the custard for the creme brulee, get the gratin going, finish the bourguignon, make the side dishes, and assemble the appetizers.

It’s going to be a busy day, but hella fun! I’m already planning out next months’

My first dinner party is in a couple days.

OMG THAT HAPPENED FAST!!

I think I’m ready. It’s been a long time since I did a dinner party, and this is my first one solo. I’ve practiced the main dishes very successfully. I did another practice run of the creme brulee tonight and had some friends over to test & critique. It passed muster with flying colors.

I picked out some southern european appetizers (utilizing olives, sundried tomatoes, and Bocconcini) to kick off with, then we’ll slip into buffet-style with potato gratin, boeuf bourguignon, a side vegetable (I’ll see what’s good/local/seasonal Saturday morning), and a simple salad of greens. Add bread, oil, and wine and finish up with white chocolate creme brulee and coffee.

Seven guests are lined up. It’s going to be loads of fun.

After my friend Phil came over to help consume last weekend’s Boeuf Bourguignon, I realized just how much more fun cooking is when you share it with friends.  It’s been a couple years that I’ve been cooking for just myself.

I’ve decided that to get the most enjoyment out of my kitchen adventures, and to keep pushing myself, I will host a monthly dinner party. It will be on the Saturday most closely following the 15th.  I’ll be posting menu ideas, etc. here in advance.  It will, of course, be by invitation only.  I expect there will be some regulars as well as special guests.

I’m starting off this month with a classic French menu, including Boeuf Bourguignon, Potato Gratin, and Creme Brulee.  I’m still nailing down the other bits & pieces.